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Trump Criticizes UK Over Apple Encryption Law, Cites Privacy Concerns

President Trump compared the UK's demand for Apple to weaken encryption to practices in China, raising concerns about privacy and international agreements.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump speak during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House, February 27, 2025 in Washington, D.C., U.S. Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
A man check his phone near an Apple logo outside its store in Shanghai, China September 13, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
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Overview

  • President Trump condemned the UK's demand for Apple to create a backdoor to iCloud encryption, calling it comparable to surveillance practices in China.
  • Trump discussed the issue with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during their first meeting at the White House, emphasizing that such measures are unacceptable.
  • Apple responded to the UK's demands by removing its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users, a move unprecedented for the company.
  • U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard expressed concerns that the UK's actions may violate the CLOUD Act, which governs data access across borders.
  • The situation has drawn international attention, with privacy advocates warning of potential ripple effects as other countries, including Sweden and France, consider similar legislation.