National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) chief David Redl resigned abruptly from his position on Thursday, officials confirmed.<\/p>\n
Redl has been at the helm of the NTIA, the body tasked with advising the Trump administration’s telecom policy within the Department of Commerce, since November 2017.<\/p>\n
An NTIA spokeswoman said that Diane Rinaldo would be taking over as acting administrator. Rinaldo is a former staffer with the House Intelligence Committee who has been Redl’s deputy at NTIA for the past year.<\/p>\n
Ajit Pai, the Republican chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, in a statement thanked Redl for his service and wished him “all the best in his future endeavors.”<\/p>\n
“David Redl is a longtime colleague, who served with distinction during his 18 months at NTIA,” Pai said in a statement. “He was a vocal advocate within the Department of Commerce for repurposing federal spectrum for commercial use and fostering the private sector’s lead in 5G deployment. I thank David for his service and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”<\/p>\n
Redl was an adviser to Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) during his tenure as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.<\/p>\n