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President Donald Trump’s reported habit of answering unknown callers on his personal cell phone, along with top aides frequently using unsecured personal devices, is sparking renewed concerns among cybersecurity experts and federal officials.
According to an Axios report, citing The Atlantic, the practice has left the Trump administration vulnerable to basic security threats such as spoofed calls, impersonation attempts, and foreign surveillance.
While there is no public evidence that Trump has fallen victim to such schemes, federal investigations and intelligence reports suggest the risk is real and growing, added the report.
Ongoing investigations
According to The Wall Street Journal report, federal authorities are currently probing a scheme in which someone spoofed the phone number of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles to impersonate her in calls to senators, governors, and CEOs. The impersonator’s identity and intent remain unclear.
Meanwhile, a Bloomberg investigation found that Chinese hackers gained access to US telecom networks as early as summer 2023, a full year earlier than previously disclosed.
That access, according to The New York Times, was exploited by a China-backed cyber group known as “Salt Typhoon” to monitor communications involving Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other high-ranking officials.
Adding to the concerns, former national security adviser Mike Waltz, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others in the administration have been embroiled in separate controversies related to their use of the encrypted messaging app Signal on personal devices, bypassing official communication protocols.
History of lax security
Trump’s disregard for secure communications isn’t new. During his first term, he carried two phones — a secure one for calls and a less secure one for social media, according to Politico. Despite security officials urging him to replace the latter device monthly, reports suggest he sometimes went months without checks.
It remains unclear how much of that protocol has changed during Trump’s current term. “I think people gave up on that years ago,” a current adviser told The Atlantic.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn a written statement, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung declined to detail any specific security measures, saying, “President Trump is the most transparent and accessible President in American history.”
“World leaders, heads of state, elected officials, and business titans all reach out to him because they know America is back under President Trump’s leadership,” Axios quoted Cheung as saying.
He also took aim at Trump’s predecessor, adding, “Joe Biden was hidden and sheltered by his handlers because he was a total embarrassment and bumbling idiot during his time in office.”
The bigger picture
Since returning to office, the Trump administration has faced mounting criticism over its handling of digital security, with experts warning that convenience is being prioritised over protection, reported Axios.
The administration’s widespread use of personal devices and encrypted messaging apps like Signal has raised red flags, especially as traditional security protocols appear to be sidelined.
Reports indicate that the federal cybersecurity apparatus has also taken a hit, with nearly a third of staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) having departed.
Concerns have been compounded by the actions of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has championed several controversial technology initiatives.
One such effort involves deploying a still-buggy AI tool designed to comb through sensitive government data—sparking fears about vulnerabilities and potential misuse, added the report.
The broader threat landscape is also shifting rapidly.
The FBI recently warned that artificial intelligence tools are now being used to clone voices using just seconds of audio, making it easier than ever for scammers or bad actors to impersonate senior officials.
Spoofing phone numbers has become a low-cost, easily accessible tactic thanks to free apps, a method already exploited in a scheme impersonating Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
These developments underscore a troubling reality: security is increasingly being compromised in favour of speed and direct access, creating new openings for deception, surveillance, and manipulation at the highest levels of government.
With inputs from agencies
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