Signals of Sovereignty
Telecom, Satellites & Subsea Systems in Strategic Competition
Securing the Arteries of Freedom
Kennedy visiting Turk TeleKom in Istanbul with students from Johns Hopkins University.
Why Signals of Sovereignty Matter
- The lines, beams, and signals that carry the world’s data are no longer neutral—they are strategic terrain. Authoritarian powers are racing to embed influence across the world’s digital backbone—through 5G and 6G networks, undersea cables, satellite constellations, and cloud hubs that move the lifeblood of modern economies.
- Democracies must secure these systems not only to protect communications, but to defend commerce, deter coercion, and sustain freedom of choice in every connected nation. Signals of sovereignty—from terrestrial fiber to orbital satellites—define who commands reach, resilience, and rules in the 21st century.
“Control the world’s digital arteries, and you control the future flow of commerce, innovation, and influence.”
Strategic Priorities
- Secure and Expand Trusted 5G/6G Networks: Lead efforts to deploy secure, interoperable networks through partnerships with democratic allies and emerging markets.
- Strengthen Resilience of Global Digital Infrastructure: Protect critical nodes—satellites, undersea cables, cloud hubs—against physical, cyber, and economic threats.
- Set Open Standards for Digital Governance: Drive multilateral agreements on trusted vendor criteria, data sovereignty, privacy, and interoperability.
- Invest in Emerging Markets’ Digital Connectivity: Support high-standard digital infrastructure investment to counter authoritarian influence and extend open systems globally.
- Integrate Telecom Leadership with Trade and Investment Strategy: Embed digital infrastructure resilience into supply chain agreements, development financing, and regional economic frameworks.
Insights & Engagements
🏛️ Engaging Administration or Congress, 📰 Op-Ed / Article / Quoted 🎙️ Podcast ✍️ Policy Brief / Blog Post 👥 Roundtable / Event 🎤 Speaking 🎥 TV/Video 🌐 Global
Trusted Global Telecommunications
- 🎤 🇯🇵 Remarks to Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Washington, DC - September 18, 2024
Digital Infrastructure Security
- 👥 Briefing with National Cybersecurity Center - University of Colorado Colorado Springs - June 21, 2021
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🔷 Featured Insights
The Scanning Empire: How China is Building a Global Web of Digital Control - Wilson Center Policy Brief with Lea Thome - February 20, 2025