Despite security warnings, the US president maintains the device as his primary link to the outside world, The Atlantic has reported citing aides
US President Donald Trump continues to rely on his personal cellphone, despite repeated warnings from aides and security experts about foreign surveillance risks, The Atlantic reported on Monday.
The phone remains Trump’s main link to the outside world, connecting him with friends, family, lawmakers, corporate leaders, celebrities, world leaders, and journalists, sources close to the president told the outlet. He also often answers calls from unknown numbers, reportedly viewing them as opportunities for spontaneous conversations, they claim.
“He likes to call people. He likes to be called,” one adviser reportedly said. Another noted that “probably a ton” of people have Trump’s personal number, while a third estimated the figure at “well over 100.”
Trump reportedly uses multiple devices, with at least one dedicated to social media.
Several sources claim Trump often leaves lengthy voicemails and inquires if recipients have shared his messages with relatives and friends.
They also claim Trump distrusts White House landlines, fearing eavesdropping by what he sees as the “deep state.”
“His perspective was, ‘I can’t trust anyone on the White House staff, so I have to use my cellphone,’” a former adviser told the outlet.
Security officials have long warned Trump that personal phones are vulnerable to hacking and wiretapping. In late 2024, the FBI claimed Chinese hackers had breached US telecom networks, allowing them to eavesdrop on calls involving Trump and other political figures. Despite the concerns, the president reportedly dismissed the warnings.
“He’d just reject it and say, ‘It’s not true,’” a former adviser said. “He’d say, ‘My phone is the best on the market.’” Advisers eventually gave up trying to limit his phone use, the sources claimed, although one said the devices had been upgraded with additional security features.
The White House declined to confirm those details. “We will not discuss or disclose security measures regarding the President, especially to The Atlantic,” Communications Director Steven Cheung told the outlet in an emailed statement.
The White House recently had issues with the magazine after an Atlantic editor gained access to an internal chat involving senior Trump officials discussing a strike against the Houthi militants and then writing a story about it.
Cheung defended Trump’s approach, saying his use of a personal phone makes him “the most transparent and accessible President in American history.”
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