Trump Launches Twitter Attack On Apple Over Pensacola iPhone Encryption

U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Apple Inc. AAPL for refusing to unlock the Pensacola shooter’s iPhones.

What Happened

Trump tweeted on Tuesday to criticize Apple for not helping investigators unlock the iPhones used by the shooter in the Pensacola naval base attack.  

“We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements,” said the U.S. president on Twitter.

“They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” added Trump.

Why It Matters

Trump’s tweet came just a day after Attorney General William Barr asked the tech giant to help the FBI unlock the two iPhones used in the Florida naval base shooting on Dec. 6.

A Saudi Air Force officer open fire and killed three people, wounding eight others, at the Pensacola naval base.

On Monday, Barr called it “an act of terrorism” and accused Apple of not giving “any substantive assistance” in accessing the shooter’s iPhones.

“We call on Apple and other technology companies to help us find a solution so that we can better protect the lives of Americans and prevent future attacks,” said Barr during a press conference on Monday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation first requested Apple to help extract data from password-protected iPhones used the Dec.6 shooting.

Apple defended their use of encryption and said they had provided all the data related to the Pensacola case to Apple.

“When the FBI requested information from us relating to this case a month ago we gave them all of the data in our possession and we will continue to support them with the data we have available,” an Apple spokesperson told CNBC, at the time.