In every generation, there comes a moment when national security strategy must evolve to meet the threats of a new era. Today, we face just such a moment—not on a distant battlefield, but with the allocation of America’s wireless spectrum. The invisible airwaves that power our communications and weapons systems have become one of the 21st century’s most strategic assets. And right now, the United States is dangerously behind.
China is charging forward, allocating four times more mid-band spectrum for commercial 5G and 6G development than America. Their authoritarian regime has grasped what too many in our own government have failed to: that economic strength, innovation, and military power are all linked by access to wireless spectrum. Unless we act decisively, we risk losing technological leadership—and the national security edge that comes with it.
Much of this gridlock traces back to retired General Mark Milley, who in secret phone calls promised China that he would alert them about any potential attacks ahead of time. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs under the Biden administration, Milley was one of the most vocal and obstinate opponents of reallocating Department of Defense (DoD) spectrum for commercial use. He didn’t just delay reform—he actively fought it, pushing to halt legislation until the Pentagon completed a study that predictably claimed spectrum sharing was infeasible. He even issued an internal memo attacking then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for supporting a bipartisan compromise on future auctions.
Senator Mike Rounds regarded Milley’s memo as unprecedented, and it’s easy to see why. It wasn’t just bureaucratic resistance—it was ideological obstructionism. Milley led a campaign to preserve a bloated status quo, all while China built the world’s largest 5G network and moved to set global standards for 6G. His legacy, in this regard, is not one of national strength, but of missed opportunity, technological stagnation, and “dead zones” in both our economy and our defenses.
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The facts are clear: DoD currently holds 60% of prime mid-band spectrum—the most valuable real estate for 5G deployment. Yet even experts inside the defense community acknowledge the department isn’t using all of it efficiently. As one former National Security Council adviser recently testified, “there are important systems in these bands… but to say we can't share any of it…doesn’t pass muster”.
Meanwhile, our allies and even our adversaries have adopted smarter models. Nordic militaries, for example, have shown that 5G “slicing”—dedicating specific slices of spectrum for defense—can deliver secure, high-speed communications without hoarding resources from the private sector. China has deployed mobile 5G base stations for military use that support 10,000 users per unit and deliver speeds and latency far beyond what most U.S. troops currently experience.
President Trump understands what’s at stake. During his first term, his administration spearheaded one of the most successful spectrum auctions in U.S. history—the C-band auction—which raised over $80 billion for the Treasury and unlocked critical mid-band spectrum for commercial 5G deployment. It's time for him to break the stranglehold and once again reallocate underutilized airwaves to power America’s wireless future—without compromising our defense capabilities.
This would not be without precedent. In 2020, DoD agreed to vacate the 3.45–3.55 GHz band, generating $21.8 billion in auction revenue and creating 100 MHz of high-value spectrum for commercial use—all while maintaining mission readiness. History shows that collaboration, not confrontation, between federal and commercial stakeholders can strengthen both our economy and our defenses.
Let’s be clear: preserving national security doesn’t mean locking down every inch of spectrum forever. It means adapting to new realities, ensuring that both our warfighters and our workers have access to the tools they need to compete—and win—in a rapidly changing world.
General Milley’s America-last posture on spectrum was more than a miscalculation. It was a strategic failure. If we don’t course-correct now, we will lose more than spectrum. We’ll lose the future of wireless technology, and with it, a pillar of our national power.
President Trump has shown that he has the right instincts. It’s time for his administration to press forward aggressively on spectrum allocation reform—ensuring that America’s wireless edge is not left to rot in the Pentagon’s basement, but is instead unleashed across the commercial and defense sectors alike. Congress must similarly reauthorize the FCC’s spectrum auction authority – allowed to lapse under the previous Congress – and press for a new spectrum pipeline that includes mid-band allocations tailored to meet the rising demands of our wireless economy.
In today’s spectrum war, adaptation is victory. Let’s not lose another inch.
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