U.S. Didn't Threaten to Kick Italy Out of NATO for Using 5g
The Claim
The U.S. has threatened to get Italy out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which it partially relies upon for defense, if it uses 5G technology.
Emerging story
Following an August 2020 interview with Francesco Sisci, social media users began sharing the claim.
Misbar’s Analysis
Francesco Sisci, a former cultural counselor for Italy’s embassy in China, said in an interview aired on China Global Television Network (CGTN), that the US will kick Italy out of NATO if it uses Chinese company Huawei’s technology in its implementation of 5G. CGTN published an article stating that the US threatened Italy directly.
However, Misbar’s investigation found that the U.S. never said that it was going to force Italy to leave NATO if it uses Huawei tech. Sisci merely stated that it is possible for them to do so, and that recent foreign policy implies that it is inevitable. Furthermore, Sisci is wrong. The U.S. can’t kick other countries out of NATO.
It’s actually uncertain if NATO can expel members at all. Italy could decide to leave the organization, but that is unlikely, as Italy relies upon NATO for defense.
