Berk Kutay Gökmen
19 October 2026•Update: 19 October 2026
The US ambassador to the EU has warned that European companies could face “devastating” retaliation in the US market if the bloc proceeds with a proposal to reserve much of a key satellite-to-smartphone spectrum band for European operators, potentially limiting access for American firms such as SpaceX and Amazon.
In an interview with the Financial Times released Sunday, Andrew Puzder warned that European businesses “should be wary” of potential retaliation and that the consequences could be “very devastating,” given the size of the US market.
The dispute centers on a proposal by the European Commission to reserve part of the radio spectrum used by smartphones to connect directly to satellites for European operators.
The plan could limit access for foreign companies including SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellite network.
SpaceX has criticized the proposed changes, warning they could undermine connectivity in Ukraine, where Starlink has played a critical role in civilian and military communications since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Puzder acknowledged Europe’s right to protect sensitive government information but argued that legislation should not be used to disadvantage American competitors.
“If the purpose is to make the United States less competitive, I think that that’s not a legitimate goal of this kind of legislation,” he said.
“You don’t make European companies more competitive by making US companies less competitive,” he added, describing American products as reliable and trusted.
The ambassador also questioned whether EU enforcement of its Digital Markets Act was intended to promote competition or generate revenue through fines imposed on US technology companies.
Puzder urged Brussels and Washington to cooperate in the race against China in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, warning that regulatory disputes risk undermining shared interests.
“It’d be a lot easier if we were working with Europe instead of fighting Europe,” he said.
