WASHINGTON — National security officials in the Trump administration are considering nationalizing a part of the country's mobile network to protect it against China, Axios reported.

A PowerPoint and memo made by a senior National Security Council were obtained by Axios. The documents suggest the U.S. needs a centralized nationwide 5G network within three years.
The government could pay for and build a single network or it could have wireless providers build their own 5G networks.

The presentation talked about the need to build a network in order to compete with China's dominant position in the manufacture and operation of network infrastructure.
The documents say that it would be faster for the government to build a network and then rent access to carriers like AT&T and Verizon.

They also argue that a secure 5G network is vital for the development of emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles or virtual reality, as well as to counter Chinese threats to US economic and cyber security.