The United Kingdom has abandoned its push for special access to Apple’s iCloud systems, essentially a “backdoor” into user data, following negotiations with the Trump administration, according to U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard.In a statement on X, Gabbard said the decision came after talks she held with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
“The U.K. has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a ‘back door’ that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,” she wrote.
Apple Reportedly Building Its Own AI-Powered ‘Answer Engine’The move marks the latest twist in a months-long dispute. Earlier this year, reports revealed that the British government had quietly ordered Apple to weaken the encryption of iCloud under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, also known as the Snoopers’ Charter.
Related: UK Starts Enforcing Online Age Checks Across Social Platforms.
The order specifically targeted users of Advanced Data Protection (ADP), an opt-in feature that provides end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the user, not even Apple, can access stored files.
The revelation sparked sharp backlash from privacy advocates and security experts, who warned that granting the UK. such access would weaken protections for users globally and set a precedent for other governments to make similar demands.
Apple initially pulled ADP from the U.K., preventing new users from enabling the feature, and advised existing users they might eventually have to turn it off. The company also filed a legal challenge against the mandate, which has since moved from secret proceedings to a public court case.Neither Apple nor the U.K. Home Office has commented on the latest development.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence pointed to a February letter previously sent to lawmakers for context.Apple has consistently maintained that it has “never built a backdoor or master key” for its products or services—and insists it “never will.”
