Steve Bannon on Wednesday suggested the Trump administration would soon force tech companies to work with federal authorities.
"If I were the guys at Apple I would pay attention to President [Donald] Trump's tweets," Bannon said during an appearance on CNBC. "I would treat his tweets like a papal bull."
Trump one day earlier lashed out at Apple for refusing to unlock iPhones "used by killers, drug dealers, and other violent criminal elements."
He tweeted:
"They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN"
Trump was referring to Apple's failure to decrypt local data on two iPhones linked to a shooting at a Pensacola naval base in December.
The tech companies argue strong encryption protects the privacy and security of their users, while law enforcement officials say criminals have used the technology to evade justice and called on tech firms to provide a way to crack it, using high-profile cases such as Pensacola and the 2015 mass shooting by Islamic militants in San Bernardino, California, as examples.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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