Trump Forced to Give Up Phone

His beloved Android reportedly replaced with secure device
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 21, 2017 11:05 AM CST
Trump Forced to Give Up Phone
President Donald J. Trump gives a thumbs up after dancing with first lady Melania Trump at The Salute To Our Armed Services Inaugural Ball Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, in Washington.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Well, it appears the Secret Service has pried Donald Trump's beloved Android phone from his tweeting fingers. An unidentified friend of Trump's tells the AP the new president handed over his phone Thursday on the advice of security advisers. The New York Times reports Trump's Android was replaced by an encrypted device that received Secret Service approval. Barack Obama, the first president to use a mobile device in office, started with a "heavily modified" Blackberry before moving to a mostly disabled iPhone. The devices were used to check email and news sites but rarely—if ever—for phone calls.

This is all likely to cramp Trump's style. A Republican senator says the president was known for answering his phone even if he didn't recognize the number. He would even call back strange numbers that didn't leave a message. A former Secret Service agent tells Cnet Trump is unlikely to be able to use his new device for phone calls because they are way too easy to intercept. Trump's aides—some of whom are excited journalists and others won't have direct access to him—say he's likely to instead go office to office in person to get his "gossip" fix. It's possible he'll still be able to tweet. The Newseum in Washington DC has asked Trump about getting his Android to put on display. (More Donald Trump stories.)

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