The interstate highway system wasn't built in the name of convenience or even commerce. When President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, he did it in the name of national security. In fact, the official name of the system is the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.

Now some in the Trump administration are arguing that the federal government should build a broadband wireless network for much the same reason. Today's mobile networks are known as "4G" networks because they are the fourth generation of wireless technologies. Carriers are already planning “5G” networks. But a presentation and memo by the National Security Council disclosed by Axios on Sunday proposes that the government build a nationalized 5G network out of fears of falling behind China both economically and militarily.

The proposal is unlikely to become reality and is already being criticized by other government agencies, the telecommunications industry, and both Democrats and Republicans. The White House denies that it has any plans to follow through on the proposal and told Recode that the presentation was dated. But the proposal sheds light on growing concerns within the government that the US isn't keeping pace with China.

The NSC presentation also argues that a national network would generate significant economic benefits to rural areas currently underserved by commercial broadband providers. But China is its main focus.

"The general concern is that Chinese manufacturers like Huawei will become so dominant in the equipment market that there will be essentially no way to avoid using their equipment in future deployment of 5G networks," says Harold Feld, senior vice president of the open internet advocacy group Public Knowledge. "It's a matter of some considerable concern from the perspective of the security apparatus.” The presentation suggests that a government-backed network would ensure that 5G networks are instead built by US companies like Cisco and Juniper Networks.

The memo envisions that the US would create a central 5G network based on a chunk of wireless spectrum now used mostly by satellite communications providers, and then lease network connectivity wholesale to providers like AT&T and Verizon. That would be a radical departure from the status quo because normally these providers build their own network infrastructure and only lease spectrum from the government. Even government networks are usually built and operated by major carriers. However, under the plan, private carriers could continue building their own infrastructure using other chunks of the spectrum; that would let carriers distinguish themselves from one another, so the national network wouldn't entirely replace private networks.

The documents shouldn't be taken as evidence that the White House ever seriously considered building a national 5G network, a former intelligence officer familiar with the National Security Council tells WIRED. Instead, it's an indication that the NSC is considering a wide range of possibilities to address a perceived threat from China. How much weight these types of presentations carry depends on the seniority of who makes them, the former intelligence officer says. Proposals rarely, if ever, are implemented in their original form. If the NSC decides to consider a proposal, it will end up being modified by multiple people within the organization and from outside organizations as well. And in this case, other government agencies have already spoken out against the idea.

Among the critics is Ajit Pai, the Republican chair of the Federal Communications Commission, the agency in charge of allocating the wireless spectrum. "The main lesson to draw from the wireless sector’s development over the past three decades—including American leadership in 4G—is that the market, not government, is best positioned to drive innovation and investment," Pai said in a statement. "What government can and should do is to push spectrum into the commercial marketplace and set rules that encourage the private sector to develop and deploy next-generation infrastructure."