WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump on Friday directed a broad federal push to secure U.S. leadership in next-generation 6G wireless technology, ordering immediate action to clear and study critical radiofrequency spectrum that the administration says will underpin national security, economic growth, and emerging technologies for decades.
In a presidential memorandum signed December 19, Trump framed 6G networks as foundational infrastructure for advances ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to public safety and national defense. The directive launches a series of studies and planning efforts aimed at shifting existing federal systems out of key spectrum bands to make room for full-power commercial 6G use.
At the center of the order is the 7.125–7.4 gigahertz band, which is currently used by federal systems. The memorandum instructs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to immediately begin working with federal agencies to determine how those systems can be relocated, including into the adjacent 7.4–8.4 gigahertz range. Agencies have up to 12 months to submit detailed relocation plans, including costs and timelines, and must demonstrate that national security missions and electric grid operations will not be materially impaired.
Certain fixed sites used for satellite telemetry uplinks and radio astronomy are exempt from the relocation effort.
The memorandum also directs Commerce to begin designating the 7.125–7.4 gigahertz band for full-power commercial licensed use, citing authority granted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In addition, the administration ordered new studies of the 2.69–2.9 gigahertz and 4.4–4.94 gigahertz bands to assess whether portions of those frequencies could also be reallocated for commercial 6G deployment.
Beyond domestic spectrum policy, Trump instructed the Secretary of State to coordinate with economic, science, and communications officials to advance U.S. positions internationally, including at the International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027. The goal is to build a coalition of allies and industry partners aligned with American priorities as global standards for 6G are negotiated.
A White House fact sheet described the move as a decisive step to give U.S. and allied companies clarity on which spectrum bands will be available as they plan future networks. The administration argues that early certainty is critical as countries compete to shape the standards and supply chains that will define the next era of wireless connectivity.
The Trump administration has tied the 6G initiative to a broader technology agenda, pointing to actions aimed at boosting artificial intelligence research, strengthening cybersecurity against foreign threats, restoring what it calls Gold Standard Science in federal research, and easing regulatory barriers to supersonic aviation.
While 5G networks are still being deployed across much of the country, the White House says planning for 6G must begin now to ensure the United States remains the dominant force in communications technology as global competition intensifies.
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