Overview
- Late last week the administration formally told Congress it intends to spend $175.8 million on the “Countering CCP Control of Caribbean and Central America Undersea Cables” project to replace aging submarine telecom cables with U.S. and trusted alternatives.
- The notification says funding would support cable projects serving El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Haiti but states the United States would not work directly with Nicaragua’s government.
- An internal State Department planning document obtained by reporters shows officials are discussing nearly $500 million more in regional projects and a separate set of proposals totaling roughly $340 million for about 50 targeted anti‑China initiatives.
- Officials argue the upgrades respond to security risks because undersea cables carry most international internet traffic and foreign control can create leverage, and they warn Chinese offers can carry hidden costs like maintenance failures and surveillance risks.
- The cable notification is a formal step toward funding but not a final appropriation, implementation details and partner arrangements are still being worked out, and the push proceeds alongside continued high‑level U.S.‑China diplomacy including a planned Trump–Xi meeting in September.