The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's assistant secretary David Redl unexpectedly stepped down after 18 months in the role, The Hill reports.
Why it matters, per Axios' David McCabe: Redl has been a key player in the nation’s wireless strategy, which has been closely watched as carriers move toward launching 5G amid security concerns about Chinese equipment manufacturers.
Details: President Trump nominated Redl to the position in May 2017 and he was confirmed that November. NTIA — a body within the Department of Commerce — is responsible for advising the Trump administration's telecom policy. During his tenure, Redl was a "vocal advocate ... for repurposing federal spectrum for commercial use and fostering the private sector's lead in 5G deployment," Ajit Pai, the Republican chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, wrote in a farewell statement.
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