The president had been warned. The New York Times now reports that American spy agencies have learned that China and Russia have been eavesdropping on President Trump’s personal calls to friends and colleagues from one of his iPhones, in an effort to influence U.S. policy.
“This stunning revelation by the NYT is one that has sweeping ramifications for intelligence and the security of the American people,” says former White House chief information officer Theresa Payton in an email to Fast Company.
Trump reportedly has three iPhones, but only two of them are equipped with security features that have been added by the National Security Agency. One of the secure phones is strictly intended for tweeting, and only over Wi-Fi networks.
His third phone is said to be as unsecured as any regular iPhone. Former administration officials said that in spite of their repeated warnings that spies might listen into his calls, Trump refused to give up the phone, and kept using it as usual. The president likes to keep his personal iPhone around reportedly because “he can store his contacts in it.”
From the Times report, written by Matthew Rosenberg and Maggie Haberman:
“American spy agencies, the officials said, had learned that China and Russia were eavesdropping on the president’s cellphone calls from human sources inside foreign governments and intercepting communications between foreign officials.”
“If true, this may be the largest, most significant breach of White House communications in history,” says Payton, who served in the George W. Bush administration and is now CEO of security firm Fortalice Solutions. “America’s most sophisticated peer competitor now has a direct line into the president’s confidential thinking and conversations.”
Armed with intel gathered from Trump’s many calls, foreign adversaries might learn to exploit weaknesses in the American leader to the detriment of U.S. interests.
-Codiak- on October 25th, 2018 at 06:40 UTC »
Imagine if Hillary, Obama, hell ANY Dem said "I know my phone is tapped but I still use it" omg the right would lose their mind
Mister_Antifascista on October 25th, 2018 at 05:19 UTC »
So realistically, China and Russia have every single phone call he made recorded. That is historically unique and fucked up
oprahwinfrey666 on October 25th, 2018 at 05:04 UTC »
I'm...