Trump names Robert Blair special representative for int'l telecommunications policy

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump has named Robert Blair as the US Special Representative for International Telecommunications Policy, the White House said on Monday.

One of Blair's tasks in his new capacity is to "support the Administration's 5G efforts," the White House said in a statement.

Blair will continue to serve as an assistant to the president and senior adviser to the White House chief of staff, the statement said.

As the senior adviser to the White House chief of staff, Blair defied a subpoena from US House impeachment investigators into Trump's handling of US relations with Ukraine and his conduct during the ensuing impeachment inquiry led by the House Democrats.

Before joining the White House, Blair was the Associate Director for Defense Programs at the Office of Management and Budget. He also served for more than a decade on the staff of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.