<p>WASHINGTON—Members of the intelligence community are investigating the potential implications of Apple sharing users&#8217; iCloud data with the United Kingdom, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Tuesday.</p>
<p>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 &#8220;back door&#8221; to its iCloud encryption to &#8220;facilitate UK government access to any Apple iCloud users&#8217; uploaded data anywhere in the world,&#8221; as Gabbard wrote.</p>
<p>&#8220;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 &#8216;backdoor&#8217; that would allow access to Americans&#8217; personal encrypted data,&#8221; Gabbard wrote to Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs. &#8220;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.&#8221;</p>
<h3><a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/DNI-Wyden-Biggs-Response-1.pdf">READ GABBARD&#8217;S FULL LETTER HERE</a></h3>
<p>Gabbard was not made aware of the order by the United Kingdom or Apple before it <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20g288yldko">was reported in the media</a> earlier this month, she said. Just last week, Apple removed its highest-level data security tool, &#8220;Advanced Data Protection,&#8221; from British customers, meaning that not all United Kingdom customer data stored on iCloud will be fully encrypted, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj54eq4vejo">according to the BBC</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;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,&#8221; said Gabbard. &#8220;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 &#8216;gag order,&#8217; which would prevent Apple or any company from voicing their concerns with myself, or the public.&#8221;</p>
<div id="attachment_883303" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-tulsi-gabbard-to-probe-national-security-implications-of-uks-demands-to-apple/president-trump-swears-in-tulsi-gabbard-as-director-of-national-intelligence-2" rel="attachment wp-att-883303"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-883303" class="wp-image-883303 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-2198554496-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-883303" class="wp-caption-text">Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images</p></div>
<p>The new Director of National Intelligence also said that she directed a senior Intelligence Community officer to work with ODNI&#8217;s Office of Civil Liberties, Privacy, and Transparency as well as ODNI&#8217;s Office of Partner Engagement &#8220;to outline the potential implications of the United Kingdom compelling an American company to create a &#8216;back door&#8217; that would allow the UK government to retrieve private user content.&#8221;</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>&#8220;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,&#8221; Gabbard wrote. &#8220;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.&#8221;</p>
<p>While Gabbard said that U.S. intelligence relationships with foreign partners are of &#8220;vital importance to our national security,&#8221; she also emphasized that her obligations as Director of National Intelligence &#8220;include protecting both the security of our country and the God-given rights of the American people enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I look forward to working with my foreign counterparts to achieve both,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I remain committed to keeping Congress currently and fully informed of developments on this and other intelligence-related matters.&#8221;</p>
<p>Gabbard&#8217;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&#8217;s military spending from 2.3% of the country&#8217;s GDP to 2.5% by 2027 — and the next year, to 2.6%, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/uk/uk-defense-spending-increase-trump-intl/index.html">CNN reported</a>. The prime minister reportedly wishes to be a &#8220;bridge&#8221; between Trump and European countries, POLITICO reports, and Trump&#8217;s recent efforts to end the war in Ukraine have reportedly increased Starmer&#8217;s urgency.</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

EXCLUSIVE: Tulsi Gabbard To Probe National Security Implications Of UK’s Demands To Apple

CONTINUE READING

Here’s How Donald Trump Will Spend Memorial Day

Here’s What Tulsi Gabbard Plans To Reveal Before Leaving Office

Team Trump Goes All Out To Oust Thomas Massie

JD Vance Says Dems Let Fraud Run Wild In Midterm Messaging Push

Daily Wire Asks Trump About Jailed Publisher Jimmy Lai, He Responds With Message To Beijing

What To Expect From Donald Trump’s Long-Awaited Trip To China

Exclusive

Apple

Director of National Intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— Exclusive —

EXCLUSIVE: Tulsi Gabbard To Probe National Security Implications Of UK’s Demands To Apple