U.S. President Donald Trump named Robert Blair to be the special representative for USA international telecom policy and work on the administration’s 5G efforts under White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, the White House said in a statement on Monday.

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As the senior adviser to the White House chief of staff, Blair defied a subpoena from a House of Representatives committee as part of its impeachment inquiry into whether Trump improperly pressed Ukraine to investigate his domestic political rival, Joe Biden.

USA international telecom policy

Blair’s new role comes amid an international campaign by the United States against Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Washington has been seeking to convince allies to exclude the firm from their 5G networks over fears the company could spy on customers for Beijing.

Citing national security concerns, the Trump administration put the company on a trade blacklist in May, barring companies that make goods in the United States from selling to it without a special license.

Reuters reported last month that the Commerce Department is considering toughening export restrictions on the firm, which is the world’s second largest smartphone supplier.

Before joining the White House, Blair was the Associate Director for Defense Programs at the Office of Management and Budget. He also served for more than a decade on the staff of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives. (NYTimes)

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