Trump scales back threats to trade deal with UK over Huawei

DONALD TRUMP appears to have scaled back a threat that involving Huawei in Britain’s 5G network could scupper a trade deal with the US.

A readout of a call between the US President and Boris Johnson on Friday night contained no reference to the President’s warnings about the Chinese firm being allowed access to Britain’s digital infrastructure.

The US administration has told allies not to allow the Chinese tech giant, Huawei, to form part of their 5G networks, claiming it would be a security risk – a claim the company vehemently denies.

Last year, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that President Trump’s negotiators had gone as far as to threaten there would be no post-Brexit trade deal with the US if Britain did not fall into line over Huawei.

However, in a statement released by the White House on Friday, a spokesman said: “The two leaders discussed important regional and bilateral issues, including working together to ensure the security of our telecommunications networks.”

US officials have privately rejected the idea that a freetrade agreement between the UK and US is contingent on Mr Johnson blocking Huawei’s access to the 5G network.

After a breakfast meeting with the Chancellor, Sajid Javid, the US Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, in a Q&A session at Chatham House yesterday, was asked whether or not a deal between the UK and Huawei in rolling out its 5G network

‘We are in active discussions with the UK government and others about Huawei’

would cause “major upset”. He responded: “We are in active discussions with the UK government and others about Huawei ... Huawei is a complicated issue.”

Allegations that Huawei’s telecommunications equipment could be used to spy on people have been repeatedly denied by the tech giant.

A final decision on Britain using Huawei for its 5G network is under review by the National Security Council of senior ministers and is widely expected this week.