Top Trump official urges Europe to choose between US, Chinese tech

A top official in Donald Trump’s administration has warned European allies to align with the US over China when it comes to communications technology, as concerns grow over the reliability of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service.

Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), told the Financial Times that “allied western democracies” needed to “focus on the real long-term bogey: the rise of the Chinese Communist party.” His comments follow growing European hesitance about Musk’s Starlink, after Washington threatened to switch off its services in Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports.

Carr, a vocal supporter of Musk and an architect of Project 2025 — a conservative blueprint for a Republican presidency — said it was “unfortunate” that political concerns were influencing long-term tech decisions. “If you’re concerned about Starlink, just wait for the CCP’s version, then you’ll be really worried,” he said.

UK telecoms giants BT and Virgin Media O2 are currently trialling Starlink’s broadband services but have yet to finalize agreements. Despite concerns, Carr emphasized the need for strategic alignment, warning that Europe was “caught” between U.S. and Chinese influence and predicting a “great divide” in satellite and artificial intelligence technologies.

Carr also criticized European regulators for an “anti-American” and “protectionist” stance, stating, “If Europe has its own satellite constellation then great, I think the more the better. But more broadly, I think Europe is caught a little bit between the US and China. And it’s sort of time for choosing.”

In response, a European Commission spokesperson said the EU “would continue to enforce laws fairly and without discrimination to all companies operating in the EU, in full compliance with global rules.”

Meanwhile, Carr encouraged European telecom firms Nokia and Ericsson to shift more manufacturing to the US amid possible Trump-era import tariffs. “I don’t love that current situation we’re in,” Carr admitted, referring to the lack of significant American telecom vendors.

Carr suggested he would “look at” easing regulatory processes for companies like Nokia and Ericsson if they expanded US operations.

By Vafa Guliyeva