Trump could withdraw US spy planes and agents from the UK if Boris Johnson pushes ahead with #Huawei #5G deal

The White House is reviewing the US security relationship with the UK. The US is looking at all of its military and intelligence asset in Britain, The Telegraph newspaper reported, writes Adam Payne.

The White House has launched the review, amid concern over Boris Johnson’s decision to let Chinese telecoms firm Huawei develop the UK’s 5G network. Prime Minister Johnson went ahead with the deal despite US warning that it could make intelligence more vulnerable to China.

The review could lead to US aircraft, military personnel, and even spies being withdrawn from the UK. Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories. The White House is reportedly conducting a wide-ranging review into the US security relationship with the UK due to concern over Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to let Huawei develop Britain’s 5G network.

The review is looking at all US security and intelligence assets based in the UK, and could lead to US aircraft and spies being withdrawn from Britain, half a dozen US and UK sources have told The Telegraph newspaper. Johnson angered the Trump administration in January by granting Chinese telecoms firm Huawei a limited role in developing the UK’s 5G network, despite US warnings about potential security risks.

The disagreement between Washington and London culminated in early February, with President Trump hanging up on Prime Minister Johnson during an “apoplectic” phone call. Now the US is reportedly holding a major review into whether it should scale back its security and intelligence presence in the UK, with potentially huge ramifications for the UK-UK “special relationship.”

A former US official who up until recently was on the White House’s National Security Council, told The Telegraph it was “likely” that intelligence assets would be withdrawn. “This was not a bluff. You cannot mitigate the danger Boris Johnson is exposing the UK to by letting Huawei into the network,” the source said.

“This review is not a punishment. This is the White House saying ‘OK if they’re going to go down this path and put themselves at risk then how do we protect ourselves’.” Included in the review are US RC-135s aircraft currently based at a base in Suffolk, south-east England, The Telegraph report suggests, due to the intelligence-gathering technology the planes possesses. The status of more than 10,000 US personnel based in the UK and barracks used to store military vehicles, is also being looked at by US officials.

The White House is also looking at whether it is safe to allow its secret agents to continue operating in Britain, as it is concerned that their mobile phones and other devices could be infiltrated.

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