WASHINGTON—Members of the intelligence community are investigating the potential implications of Apple sharing users’ iCloud data with the United Kingdom, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Tuesday.
In a letter to members of Congress first obtained by The Daily Wire, Gabbard addressed reports that the United Kingdom served Apple with a secret order demanding a “back door” to its iCloud encryption to “facilitate UK government access to any Apple iCloud users’ uploaded data anywhere in the world,” as Gabbard wrote.
“I share your grave concern about the serious implications of the United Kingdom, or any foreign country, requiring Apple or any company to create a ‘backdoor’ that would allow access to Americans’ personal encrypted data,” Gabbard wrote to Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs. “This would be a clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, and open up a serious vulnerability for cyber exploitation by adversarial actors.”
READ GABBARD’S FULL LETTER HERE
Gabbard was not made aware of the order by the United Kingdom or Apple before it was reported in the media earlier this month, she said. Just last week, Apple removed its highest-level data security tool, “Advanced Data Protection,” from British customers, meaning that not all United Kingdom customer data stored on iCloud will be fully encrypted, according to the BBC.
“I have requested my counterparts at CIA, DIA, DHS, FBI and NSA to provide insights regarding the publicly reported actions, and will subsequently engage with UK government officials,” said Gabbard. “The UK’s Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, also known as the Snoopers’ Charter, which I understand would be at issue, allows the UK to issue a ‘gag order,’ which would prevent Apple or any company from voicing their concerns with myself, or the public.”
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The new Director of National Intelligence also said that she directed a senior Intelligence Community officer to work with ODNI’s Office of Civil Liberties, Privacy, and Transparency as well as ODNI’s Office of Partner Engagement “to outline the potential implications of the United Kingdom compelling an American company to create a ‘back door’ that would allow the UK government to retrieve private user content.”
Initial review of the United States and United Kingdom bilateral CLOUD Act Agreement shows that the United Kingdom may not issue demands for data of American citizens, lawful permanent residents, or nationals, Gabbard said, nor can the United Kingdom demand data of people in the United States. Similarly, the United States cannot use the CLOUD Act agreement to demand data from people in the United Kingdom.
“Any information sharing between a government—any government—and private companies must be done in a manner that respects and protects the U.S. law and the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens,” Gabbard wrote. “I look forward to ensuring the UK government has taken necessary actions to protect the privacy of American citizens, consistent with the CLOUD Act and other applicable laws, irrespective of any press reporting.”
While Gabbard said that U.S. intelligence relationships with foreign partners are of “vital importance to our national security,” she also emphasized that her obligations as Director of National Intelligence “include protecting both the security of our country and the God-given rights of the American people enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”
“I look forward to working with my foreign counterparts to achieve both,” she said. “I remain committed to keeping Congress currently and fully informed of developments on this and other intelligence-related matters.”
Gabbard’s letter comes ahead of a high-profile visit from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will arrive in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night ahead of his visit with President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Starmer said that he will increase Britain’s military spending from 2.3% of the country’s GDP to 2.5% by 2027 — and the next year, to 2.6%, CNN reported. The prime minister reportedly wishes to be a “bridge” between Trump and European countries, POLITICO reports, and Trump’s recent efforts to end the war in Ukraine have reportedly increased Starmer’s urgency.
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WASHINGTON—Members of the intelligence community are investigating the potential implications of Apple sharing users’ iCloud data with the United Kingdom, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Tuesday.
In a letter to members of Congress first obtained by The Daily Wire, Gabbard addressed reports that the United Kingdom served Apple with a secret order demanding a “back door” to its iCloud encryption to “facilitate UK government access to any Apple iCloud users’ uploaded data anywhere in the world,” as Gabbard wrote.
“I share your grave concern about the serious implications of the United Kingdom, or any foreign country, requiring Apple or any company to create a ‘backdoor’ that would allow access to Americans’ personal encrypted data,” Gabbard wrote to Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs. “This would be a clear and egregious violation of Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, and open up a serious vulnerability for cyber exploitation by adversarial actors.”
READ GABBARD’S FULL LETTER HERE
Gabbard was not made aware of the order by the United Kingdom or Apple before it was reported in the media earlier this month, she said. Just last week, Apple removed its highest-level data security tool, “Advanced Data Protection,” from British customers, meaning that not all United Kingdom customer data stored on iCloud will be fully encrypted, according to the BBC.
“I have requested my counterparts at CIA, DIA, DHS, FBI and NSA to provide insights regarding the publicly reported actions, and will subsequently engage with UK government officials,” said Gabbard. “The UK’s Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, also known as the Snoopers’ Charter, which I understand would be at issue, allows the UK to issue a ‘gag order,’ which would prevent Apple or any company from voicing their concerns with myself, or the public.”
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The new Director of National Intelligence also said that she directed a senior Intelligence Community officer to work with ODNI’s Office of Civil Liberties, Privacy, and Transparency as well as ODNI’s Office of Partner Engagement “to outline the potential implications of the United Kingdom compelling an American company to create a ‘back door’ that would allow the UK government to retrieve private user content.”
Initial review of the United States and United Kingdom bilateral CLOUD Act Agreement shows that the United Kingdom may not issue demands for data of American citizens, lawful permanent residents, or nationals, Gabbard said, nor can the United Kingdom demand data of people in the United States. Similarly, the United States cannot use the CLOUD Act agreement to demand data from people in the United Kingdom.
“Any information sharing between a government—any government—and private companies must be done in a manner that respects and protects the U.S. law and the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens,” Gabbard wrote. “I look forward to ensuring the UK government has taken necessary actions to protect the privacy of American citizens, consistent with the CLOUD Act and other applicable laws, irrespective of any press reporting.”
While Gabbard said that U.S. intelligence relationships with foreign partners are of “vital importance to our national security,” she also emphasized that her obligations as Director of National Intelligence “include protecting both the security of our country and the God-given rights of the American people enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”
“I look forward to working with my foreign counterparts to achieve both,” she said. “I remain committed to keeping Congress currently and fully informed of developments on this and other intelligence-related matters.”
Gabbard’s letter comes ahead of a high-profile visit from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who will arrive in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night ahead of his visit with President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Starmer said that he will increase Britain’s military spending from 2.3% of the country’s GDP to 2.5% by 2027 — and the next year, to 2.6%, CNN reported. The prime minister reportedly wishes to be a “bridge” between Trump and European countries, POLITICO reports, and Trump’s recent efforts to end the war in Ukraine have reportedly increased Starmer’s urgency.
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