US President Donald Trump has reportedly given his private cellphone number to world leaders and urged them to call him directly, a breach of diplomatic protocol that could endanger the security of his communications.
Trump has urged leaders of Canada and Mexico to call him on his cellphone, former and current US officials with direct knowledge of the issue told the Associated Press.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, according to officials, has taken advantage of the offer so far.
The US president also handed out his number to French President Emmanuel Macron when the two spoke after Macron won the presidential election earlier this month, a French official said.
All the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
National security experts warn that even government-issued cellphones are vulnerable to eavesdropping from foreign governments.
“If you are speaking on an open line, then it’s an open line, meaning those who have the ability to monitor those conversations are doing so,” said Derek Chollet, a former Pentagon adviser.
A president “doesn’t carry with him a secure phone,” Chollet said. “If someone is trying to spy on you, then everything you’re saying, you have to presume that others are listening to it.”
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Trump, who before taking office was easily accessible by cellphone as a businessman, has frequently expressed distrust of official channels.
As president, Trump has made a series of security missteps that experts say could put the US national security at risk.
Early in his presidency, Trump raised concerns by tweeting via an unsecured Android phone and discussing national security issues in plain public view of guests.
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