Donald Trump, arbiter of our nation’s most sensitive intelligence information, hands out his personal cell phone number and urges foreign leaders to call it, the Associated Press reports. At least one foreign diplomat—Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—has taken the president up on that request.
According to the LA Times, this move breaks diplomatic protocol and raises concerns about the security of Trump’s communications.
News that Trump—who engaged in years-long condemnation of Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information—is himself very likely a security risk lit up Twitter on Tuesday night.
Users shared deep concerns about the status of our nation’s most sensitive information:
In translation: Trump has been giving his insecure cell phone # to every hostile intelligence service there is. https://t.co/S3enIVrz03
— Dan Murphy (@bungdan) May 31, 2017
Chances that nearly every hostile foreign intel service is listening in on Trump’s private cell phone? Roughly 419% https://t.co/tQiF7LdxmT
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) May 31, 2017
I can fucking break a cell phone encrypt, pretty sure the FSB can https://t.co/zeuiHTf5Tf
— Patrick 🍻✊ (@QuadCityPat) May 31, 2017
What’s the over/under on intelligence services that already have a tap on Donald Trump’s unsecured personal cell? https://t.co/8IVkEHykKx
— Tyler Duffy (@tyduffy) May 31, 2017
Can’t wait for John McCain to call this “concerning” and then vote for Trump’s entire agenda. https://t.co/NoleyC9GzG
— Matt Saccaro (@MattSaccaro) May 31, 2017
And boy, did they have jokes:
who will be the hero foreign leader who reads off Trump’s cell phone number at a press conference?
— Tim Dotcom (@timothypmurphy) May 31, 2017
“What is zis ‘cell phone?’ We don’t have zis here” – macron when trump asked for his number
— Sarah T. (@SarahThyre) May 27, 2017
Hit up my Venmo if you want Donald Trump’s cell phone number.
— Zach Heltzel (@zachheltzel) May 31, 2017
AP reporting that Trump invited global leaders to…call him on his cell phone…raising security concerns pic.twitter.com/AfoH1JyLOB
— Tim O’Brien (@TimOBrien) May 31, 2017
TRUMP: “Hey Vlad! I’m glad we exchanged numbers. Call me any time.”
PUTIN: “New phone, who dis?” https://t.co/mEAMA3iZiv
— Ben (@BenHowe) May 31, 2017
Trump wants world
leaders to call him on his cellphone and this is going to be in my head ALL DAY LONG. pic.twitter.com/nn68eyOYyv— Jen Dudley-Nicholson (@jendudley) May 31, 2017
I have Donald Trump’s cell number and am also the sultan of Brunei
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) May 31, 2017
Trump is home alone, stressed out, gaining weight, realizing job isn’t good fit for him, asking world leaders to call him on his cell phone.
— Nathaniel Friedman (@freedarko) May 31, 2017
Trump to world leaders: You can call me Al
Trump to world leaders: Call me call me any time
Trump to world leaders: I just called to say I
— Philip Bump (@pbump) May 31, 2017
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