by Julio Rivera
General Milley blocked the release of vital wireless spectrum, stalling U.S. 5G and 6G progress while China surges ahead—costing America billions and slowing digital innovation.
Imagine if a government agency hoarded a massive stockpile of gold bars in a warehouse, refusing to sell or share them, all while the economy suffered from a shortage of currency. Meanwhile, other countries were busy minting new coins, investing in growth, and watching their industries flourish. You’d call that economic malpractice, right?
Well, welcome to the world of U.S. wireless spectrum policy, where the Pentagon—at the urging of none other than former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley—has been squatting on prime wireless real estate that could revolutionize the American digital economy.
Instead of allowing this critical resource to fuel 5G and 6G innovations, Milley and his Department of Defense (DoD) allies have insisted on guarding it like a dragon hoarding treasure, arguing that national security would be jeopardized if the Pentagon relinquished even a portion of its controlled spectrum for commercial use. This isn’t just bureaucratic obstruction—it’s an “America Last” policy that actively disadvantages our economy while countries like China surge ahead.
The refusal to release even a portion of the 3.1-3.45 GHz spectrum controlled by the Pentagon for commercial use is a deliberate blockade against the next generation of American innovation. As the backbone of the modern digital economy, everything from streaming movies to autonomous vehicles to Smart cities depend on it. And yet, the DoD controls a staggering amount of this finite resource.
While it certainly needs some spectrum for critical defense applications like radars and signals intelligence, its current holdings far exceed what’s necessary. Meanwhile, U.S. telecom companies—tasked with delivering the next generation of wireless technology—are starving for spectrum. The industry has been clamoring for auctions that would allow them to put this underutilized DoD spectrum to use, creating better mobile networks, boosting rural broadband, and ensuring that the U.S. doesn’t fall behind in the global 5G and 6G race.
To be clear—this isn’t some niche telecom issue. Spectrum auctions could generate over $100 billion in revenue for taxpayers. That’s money that could go toward border security, military rebuilding, or—if you’re feeling particularly ambitious—paying down the national debt. But instead of supporting this win-win solution, Milley has played the obstructionist, throwing up roadblocks every step of the way.
In March 2023, when he was still Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a memo obtained by Politico revealed that Milley had serious “reservations” about a letter from Secretary Austin supporting a legislative framework for auctioning off DoD spectrum. In other words, even when the Pentagon’s civilian leadership acknowledged the need to move forward, Milley dug in his heels. His memo of dissent opposing his own boss—Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin—was so extraordinary that Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) called it “unprecedented.”
This wasn’t just a minor policy disagreement. Milley’s opposition directly contributed to Congress allowing the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) spectrum auction authority to expire, delaying crucial progress in wireless expansion and leaving the U.S. digital economy at a standstill.
And why? Because Milley and his team insisted that selling this spectrum would cause devastating national security consequences. The only problem? That claim doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
Again, no one was suggesting the Pentagon should give up spectrum essential to its mission. Yet Milley and other DoD officials consistently framed the issue as a zero-sum game. During a Senate Armed Services hearing, Milley even doubled down, insisting that moving forward before a full Pentagon study was completed would be reckless. “Measure twice, cut once,” he said, as if the entire concept of spectrum-sharing technology hadn’t been researched for years.
What Milley conveniently ignored is that other agencies—like the Department of Commerce and the FCC—have already determined that spectrum sharing is feasible. And let’s not forget that the same argument was made decades ago when commercial GPS was first proposed. The military fought against it, warning of catastrophic security risks. Today, GPS is a $100 billion industry that serves both commercial and military needs without issue. The spectrum issue is no different, except that Milley wants us to believe that the laws of technological progress suddenly don’t apply.
For a man who spent his career focused on military threats, Milley’s actions have directly contributed to a growing national security problem: America has a lagging position with regards to next-generation wireless telecommunications, while China is now the world leader in 5G infrastructure and is already laying the groundwork for 6G dominance. Milley’s stance wasn’t just wrong—it actively benefited China at America’s expense. The longer we delay, the harder it will be to catch up.
General Milley’s obstructionism on spectrum allocation is hardly surprising when you consider his broader pattern of behavior, which has consistently run counter to President Trump’s America First agenda. Milley’s tenure has been marred by controversy, most notably his alleged treasonous phone call to China where he reportedly assured them he would warn them of any U.S. military action—an act that directly undermines civilian leadership and the will of the American people.
His actions were so egregious that President Trump deemed it necessary to revoke Milley’s security clearance, signaling that Milley’s priorities have never aligned with the pro-American, pro-growth policies that made the Trump administration so successful. Milley’s continued resistance to freeing up vital spectrum for commercial use is just another example of how he has obstructed progress, catering to entrenched interests rather than promoting policies that would restore American greatness.
If we truly believe in an America First agenda, then spectrum allocation shouldn’t even be up for debate. The DoD should be required to justify every megahertz it controls and relinquish what it doesn’t actually need for national defense.
Releasing even a fraction of the Pentagon’s spectrum holdings would supercharge the U.S. economy with $100 billion in new revenue while bringing 5G and 6G connectivity to rural America, closing the digital divide. General Milley had the chance to be part of this historic shift, but instead, he chose bureaucratic inertia and a fear-driven narrative that serves no one but outdated defense planners.
The U.S. has two choices: Stay stuck in Milley’s world of hoarded resources and fearmongering, or embrace the future and lead the global digital economy. The answer should be obvious.
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Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, cybersecurity researcher, founder of ItFunk.Org,
and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is
focused on cybersecurity and politics, is regularly published by many of
the largest news organizations in the world.
Source: https://amgreatness.com/2025/04/01/general-milleys-spectrum-hoarding-puts-america-in-the-digital-slow-lane/
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