Donald Trump official issues veiled threat to Boris Johnson over Huawei 5G decision
Donald Trump’s envoy to Germany has issued a thinly veiled threat over Boris Johnson’s decision to allow Huawei access to the 5G network, claiming it will “jeopardise” US-UK intelligence sharing.
It follows No 10’s decision to allow the Chinese telecommunications giant a limited role in building Britain’s 5G network – despite Mr Trump’s administration arguing the provider poses a security risk.
As world leaders meet at the annual Munich security conference, the US ambassador to Germany warned countries not to follow the UK as Berlin considers its position on Huawei’s access to its network.
Richard Grenell said: “Donald Trump just called me from AF1 (Air Force 1) and instructed me to make clear that any nation who chooses to use an untrustworthy 5G vendor will jeopardise our ability to share intelligence and information at the highest level.”
According to reports, the US president was “apoplectic” with Mr Johnson in a tense phone call immediately after Huawei was given the green light to build “non-core” elements of the mobile network.
Mr Johnson is also understood to have cancelled plans for a spring visit to Washington – his first as prime minister – amid tense relations with Mr Trump.
Asked if the visit had been delayed due to the Huawei decision, a spokesperson for the prime minister said on Friday: “The PM looks forward to visiting the US and will remain in touch with the administration.
“I will add, he is currently focused on driving through the government’s ambitious domestic agenda and on levelling up across the country to deliver for the people of Britain.”
Mr Johnson, however, has insisted building the network with the Chinese firm could be done without jeopardising intelligence cooperation with the US and the other members of the Five Eyes alliance – Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The government has acknowledged that Huawei is not a “trusted” supplier but argues that, by banning it from the most sensitive elements of the network and restricting its involvement to 35 per cent on the periphery, it can manage the risk.
The warning comes as Australian MPs cancelled their planned trip to London after details of a high-level meeting with Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, were leaked.
He is reported to have been rubbed for the Huawei go-ahead, and told: “How would you feel if the Russians laid down infrastructure in your own networks? That’s how we feel about Huawei.”
The telecoms firm has repeatedly denied claims that it presents a security risk to the west.
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