Trump, who was thought to have relinquished his old Android phone for a new, secure device provided by the government, has been using his old, unsecured Android phone to post on Twitter since moving to Washington late last week, according to a report in 'The New York Times'.
"The president's use of an unsecured personal device raises concerns that his desire to use his old smartphone could be exposing him and the nation to security threats," the report said yesterday.
Trump is using the Android smartphone mainly to post on Twitter and not to make calls, it said, adding that was unclear what security measures had been put in place on the device and how vulnerable he could be to someone stealing data or breaking into his Twitter account.
"The absolutely minimum Trump could do to protect our nation is to use a secure device to protect him from foreign spies and other threats," the report quoted Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon on the Intelligence Committee, as saying.
"It would be irresponsible in the extreme for the commander in chief to use an unsecure device that could be easily hacked or intercepted," Wyden said.
Trump's use of the personal device is particularly notable given his criticism of Hillary Clinton for using a personal email address and server when she was secretary of state, it said.
"As president, he is the biggest sitting target in the world," said Kevin Bankston, the director of New America's Open Technology Institute.
In 2009, Barack Obama had fought to become the first US President with a smartphone, though he won, the use of a White House-issued secure device came with many rules.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
)