German spies dismiss Trump threats to cut off US intelligence over Huawei’s 5G risk

German authorities are dismissing President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off intelligence if they do not take steps to keep equipment made by China’s Huawei Technologies out of the nation’s fifth-generation mobile network, according to four people with knowledge of the matter.

The view in Germany’s intelligence community is that the two allies rely on each other too much to risk jeopardising crucial data sharing, said the people, who asked not to be identified by name because the discussions are private. They see the warnings on ending intelligence sharing as political grandstanding.

The sentiment in Berlin reflects the difficulty the Trump administration faces in its attempts to block Huawei from 5G networks because of alleged Chinese espionage. Germany is among European allies who have balked at US calls to ban the Shenzhen-based telecommunications equipment maker, opting instead to erect security barriers.

In a letter to the German government last month, US Ambassador Richard Grenell said intelligence-sharing would be curtailed if Huawei components were used in Germany’s 5G network. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has doubled down on the message, saying Huawei facilitates espionage by Beijing.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has maintained that security is a priority in Germany’s efforts to expand 5G, while pushing back on US pressure. She issued a mild rebuke when asked about Grenell’s letter, saying: “We’ll define our standards for ourselves.”

In a statement, the US embassy in Berlin said that the presence of “untrusted vendors,” including Chinese equipment, compromises sensitive lines of communication among allies.