Two Senate Democrats are asking the Department of Defense for more details about the security of President Trump's smartphone.
"While it is important for the President to have the ability to communicate electronically, it is equally important that he does so in a manner that is secure and that ensures the preservation of presidential records," Sens. Claire McCaskill, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Tom Carper wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary General Mattis.
Prior to Trump's inauguration, the New York Times reported that Trump traded in his Android phone for a secure, encrypted device approved by the Secret Service; the Associated Press reported the same thing. Days later, however, the Times said Trump was still using "his old, unsecured Android phone, to the protests of some of his aides."
"These reports are very troubling because security risks associated with the use of an unsecured phone include hackers' ability to access the device to turn on audio recording and camera features, as well as engaging surveillance tools that allow location and other information tracking features," Sens. McCaskill and Carper wrote. "The national security risks of compromising a smartphone used by a senior government official, such as the President of the United States, are considerable."
The senators also questioned whether Trump is properly preserving his activity. He has deleted and re-posted several tweets, for example, to correct spelling mistakes. But there is presumably nothing stopping him from deleting more inflammatory posts. As McCaskill and Carper point out, "the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) considers President Trump's tweets to be records that must be adequately documented, preserved, and maintained for historic purposes, as required by the Presidential Records Act."
As a result, the senators are asking for written confirmation that Trump has a secure device and that he is using it; if not, they want to know which device he's using. They also request information about the policies the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has drafted "regarding protective measures for President Trump's use of a personal smartphone," and whether DISA coordinated with the Secret Service and NSA on protective measures for Trump's phone.
Finally, they want to know if DISA consulted with NARA "to ensure that all security measures allow for the preservation of any presidential records created through President Trump's use of the device."
The senators have asked for answers by March 9.
The senators' letter, dated Feb. 9, was sent prior to reports that the Trump team conferred about North Korea's missile strike on a public patio at Trump's Florida club. Facebook photos taken by dinner guests show aides using cell phone camera phones to illuminate documents in front of Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which is not super secure. The White House has denied that any sensitive was being discussed.