The White House is considering banning staff from using personal cell phones while on the job, according to five administration officials.
The move would further security protocol already in place, including the storage of wirelessly connected-mobile devices in cubbies outside of certain meeting rooms. It could also isolate key staffers by restricting their communication capabilities with colleagues, as well as family and friends, reports Bloomberg.
The prospective decision is possibly a response to significant concerns from President Donald Trump over a number of leaks to the media industry. (RELATED: Will The GOP Remake Surveillance Laws After Trump Leaks?)
One official, however, said that the potential internal rule change isn’t related to those worries, according to Bloomberg. Rather, the prohibition would address cybersecurity unease within the White House.
Officials for the White House reportedly suspected that Chief of Staff John Kelly’s mobile device was virtually infiltrated at some point in the past year. Technical support staff reportedly detected a breach after Kelly notified them of glitches constantly occurring on his phone during the summer. Kelly said he stopped using the phone frequently awhile ago and is no longer in possession of it, according Politico. (RELATED: Report: Trump Doesn’t Have A Web Browser On His Cell Phone)
Trump also allegedly circumvented traditional security protocol for his electronic communications by originally using two separate cell phones.
One of the electronic devices was his old phone, which reportedly worried some in the federal government due to its potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The other was the U.S. Secret-Service-approved secure phone, according to an Axios report.
Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California called for an official investigation into President Donald Trump’s “reckless disregard for cybersecurity,” specifically in regard to his alleged use of two mobile phones.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to the White House to find out if the reports of a prospective plan were true but did not fully respond by time of publication.
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