Donald Trump Is Handing Out His Cell Phone Number To World Leaders
Donald Trump Just Committed Another Security Fail.
According to a new report, Donald Trump has been handing out his cell phone number to world leaders telling them to call him directly.
The Associated Press first reported the story that Trump is cavalierly handing out his cell phone number “and urging them to call him directly, an unusual invitation that breaks diplomatic protocol and is raising concerns about the security and secrecy of the U.S. commander in chief’s communications.”
The AP went on to note that “Trump has urged leaders of Canada and Mexico to reach him on his cellphone, according to former and current U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the practice. Of the two, only Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken advantage of the offer so far, the officials said.”
Trump’s bizarre behavior is frighteningly stupid. It shows, again, that he has no understanding of how to keep the nation’s information secret. Trump’s phone could be easily hacked by a foreign adversary, exposing the country to unbelievable risk.
Or his cell phone number could easily be leaked leaving him and by extension the entire country vulnerable.
Not to mention the fact that there are specific processes in place for the president to call other world leaders to prevent POTUS from doing and saying stupid things.
Trump clearly refuses to let people prevent his stupid behavior.
The AP report went on to quote Derek Chollet, a former Pentagon and NSC official, “If you are speaking on an open line… if someone is trying to spy on you, then everything you’re saying, you have to presume that others are listening to it.”
There is also the issue that the president’s phone calls should be archived but with Trump hopping on his cell phone on a whim, there’s no chance those conversations will be archived by staff.
Here is how the Associated Press characterized it:
The notion of world leaders calling each other up via cellphone may seem unremarkable in the modern, mobile world. But in the diplomatic arena, where leader-to-leader calls are highly orchestrated affairs, it is another notable breach of protocol for a president who has expressed distrust of official channels. The formalities and discipline of diplomacy have been a rough fit for Trump — who, before taking office, was long easily accessible by cellphone and viewed himself as freewheeling, impulsive dealmaker.
Presidents generally place calls on one of several secure phone lines, including those in the White House Situation Room, the Oval Office or the presidential limousine. Even if Trump uses his government-issued cellphone, his calls are vulnerable to eavesdropping, particularly from foreign governments, national security experts say.
