Every month, the United States faces serial murders or mass shootings in public places, in the most serious cases, the FBI is called in to conduct the investigation. The American federal agency is often faced with an inability to access the iPhone of the potential assassin, which slows down investigations. Donald Trump, who has recently been the victim of two assassination attempts, is particularly sensitive to this type of debate. For the 45th President of the United States, it is obvious that Apple must cooperate!
Trump urges Apple to be more open to FBI requests
At a rally in North Carolina as part of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump reignited a debate that has been divisive for years: Should Apple work with the FBI to unlock the iPhones of suspects involved in serious crimes? The former president singled out the Cupertino company, saying it should soften its stance on data protection when it comes to cases involving attempted murder.
Apple has long positioned itself as a defender of its users’ privacy, repeatedly refusing to cooperate with the FBI to unlock the devices of people arrested in criminal investigations. The company has promoted privacy as a fundamental right, arguing that creating a backdoor would weaken the security of all its devices and expose users to potential cyberattacks.
However, this stance has attracted much criticism, particularly after tragic incidents where authorities believe that access to iPhones could have prevented future crimes or helped identify accomplices. Donald Trump has now reignited this sensitive debate.
Donald Trump’s statements
In his speech to his many supporters, Donald Trump insisted that the FBI should pressure Apple to unlock iPhones and apps potentially linked to assassination attempts.
Trump is referring to two suspects in recent cases: Thomas Matthew Crooks and Ryan Wesley Routh, who attempted to assassinate the former president. Crooks attempted to attack him at an outdoor rally, while Routh acted during a Trump recreation on a golf course.
Device access problem in both cases
The FBI is having trouble accessing information from the two suspects’ devices. Crooks’ phone, a Samsung Galaxy, contains “three potential foreign applications” that investigators can’t access. Routh, meanwhile, is believed to have multiple phones, some of which may be iPhones, although no official source has confirmed this at this time.
Authorities fear the devices could conceal valuable information, including about accomplices who may have been involved in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
While there is no evidence that Routh owned iPhones, Trump’s mere mention of Apple during his rally has reignited a debate the company would have preferred to avoid. If Apple maintains its current stance, the company could once again find itself under fire from politicians and the public.
