The 350 megahertz of spectrum, ideal for the nascent 5G market, is worth at least $10 billion.
The pressure campaign to hand the contract to Rivada is getting pushback from the Pentagon and Federal Communications Commission, CNN says.
Senior government officials are alarmed over the White House pushing for a Pentagon deal that could be worth billions of dollars.
Rove, a prominent GOP strategist who is both an investor in and lobbyist for Rivada, has been among those pushing Trump for the no-bid contract, sources tell CNN.
Rove told CNN he wants Rivada to win the contract on its merits.
Trump ally Newt Gingrich told CNN he "never advocated for Rivada" specifically and has been urging the White House to open up Pentagon spectrum to 5G businesses "pro bono as a citizen.".
A more benign interpretation," CNN notes, is that Trump is primarily "focused on having 5G networks spread as quickly and safely across the U.S." Read more at CNN. »