Stunning New Report Reveals WH Security Concerns Over Trump’s Phone Use — And His Dismissal of Them
There is a remarkable new report in Politico tonight on President Trump‘s phone use and how he dismissed security concerns that arose.
The report says the White House cell phone Trump uses “isn’t equipped with sophisticated security features designed to shield his communications,” and he has actually resisted efforts from people around him to “strengthen security around his phone use.”
No, really:
While aides have urged the president to swap out the Twitter phone on a monthly basis, Trump has resisted their entreaties, telling them it was “too inconvenient,” the same administration official said.
The president has gone as long as five months without having the phone checked by security experts. It is unclear how often Trump’s call-capable phones, which are essentially used as burner phones, are swapped out.
One anonymous White House official explained that “are seamlessly swapped out on a regular basis through routine support operations” and “it does not necessitate regular change-out” because of the security controls already in place.
The President regularly speaks with outside advisors on the phone, and the Politico report actually confirms his frequent phone use:
Dozens of Trump’s friends and advisers testify to his frequent cell phone use. Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, a Trump confidant, told POLITICO in April that he hears from the president either late at night or early in the morning, sometimes from a blocked number and sometimes from “a 10-digit number that starts with a 202 area code.”
Three White House aides confirmed that Trump’s cell phone number changes from time to time. Several aides close to the president also carry secure devices from which he can place calls – a standard practice in any presidential administration.
It’s also revealed that the President uses “at least two iPhones”: one of calls and one for Twitter/checking the news.
You can read the full report here.
[image via screengrab]
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