Skip to main content

Donald Trump calls for boycott on Apple … while tweeting from iPhone

Tim Cook

Update: In a conference call with reporters, Apple responded saying, Trump’s call for Apple boycott puts the company in standing with other good people he has criticized

Okay, this may be my favorite “via Twitter for iPhone” gaffe yet. It’s Friday afternoon so presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a boycott on all Apple products. His announcement follows this week’s FBI request that Apple help it unlock the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone, which Tim Cook says would set a dangerous precedent.

Here’s the kicker: As news broke that Trump was calling for a boycott on Apple until it cooperates with the FBI, Donald Trump (or whoever manages his Twitter account) was tweeting a series of unrelated messages … from Twitter for iPhone.

We’ll keep an eye on Apple’s stock and see how this boycott request goes. In the meantime, best comment goes to chrisl84 with “Make encryption average again”.

As for Mr. Trump, my understanding is that these tweets from iPhone were sent while the presidential candidate was on stage at an event. My guess is senior advisor Dan Scavino might have been behind them (Trump often tweets via iPhone and Android) and the message wasn’t coordinated in time.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe9ydy_zwe8&start=45]

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who is also competing for the GOP’s nomination, has similarly expressed siding with the FBI in this situation, although his allegiance to Apple products appears strong.

Screen Shot 2016-02-19 at 2.38.48 PM

Trump has since responded:

Since people started noticing Mr. Trump’s uncoordinated message, the presidential candidate has since moved over to Twitter for Android…

https://vine.co/v/erX66WYXx6p

Don’t forget…

Maybe this explains why close Trump ally and infamous Apple investor Carl Icahn (who Trump wants as Treasury Secretary) recently dumped millions of Apple shares.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. rogifan - 8 years ago

    Ok it most likely Trump isn’t tweeting himself. Probably coming from an aide.

  2. chrisl84 - 8 years ago

    Make encryption average again

    • Rich Davis (@RichDavis9) - 8 years ago

      If the person’s phone they want to have hacked isn’t hackable and they had to come out with a new OS version that is, they still can’t perform an OS update on that device if the owner is dead. :-

  3. Spencer Gibson - 8 years ago

    Just another reason to keep this loony out of the UK. I don’t want Borris getting any ideas!!!!!

  4. gjconstructs - 8 years ago

    Donald Trump has to give up his iPhone for scrutiny.

  5. shareef777 - 8 years ago

    Has no one from the government heard of Cryptolocker? They’re begging for millions of phones to be held hostage to hackers.

  6. Thomas Marble Peak - 8 years ago

    If you’d like to support Apple’s stance on privacy, there is a White House petition at https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/apple-privacy-petition

  7. appleoldtimer - 8 years ago

    Donald Trump is an idiot…

  8. macnificentseven48 - 8 years ago

    Donald Trump must have a bone to pick with Apple. It’s stupid to ask for a boycott of Apple products in this case. The iPhone wasn’t used to kill anyone. How come Trump isn’t asking for a boycott of the gun company who made the gun that was used in the killings? Wouldn’t that make a lot more sense? Even with Trump asking this request, I doubt it will affect sales very much because there are so many consumers outside of the U.S. who are buying iPhones and I doubt they follow what’s going on in the U.S. news.

    • youritouber - 8 years ago

      im european and i actually do but i honestly would be more motivated to buy apple product now :P

  9. No! The phone is most certainly NOT owned by the government! Who makes a claim like that??? He could have stolen the phone? He could have gotten it for free from a friend? Help me to understand, does that then make it government property?

  10. … Or maybe the XX billion IPhone users should boycott Trump until the FBI backs off!?!

  11. Trump is already getting on my nerves… it’s like the Macarena all over again…

  12. darevsek - 8 years ago

    So the for someone who is supposed to be “non-establishment”, Trump is asking to boycott Apple due to FBI and Freedom and Terrorists and Muslims and such. Sounds VERY establishment to me. If your to be with the people, would you not want to be for personal privacy? Wait, would this not also fall under the “big government” due to FBI wanting more power? And if you don’t think for one moment the FBI would not “copy” the back door stuff your a bit misguided. Ever since the iOS 8 closure, not even Apple can get into your system. Those “70” cases brought up in court, those were prior to the full encryption of the iOS. So “they did it before”… will not work here. Just a ploy to get Apple to make their back door for them so the FBI and NSA can keep spying on the people without a warrant or due process. Trump wants to Boycott. More power to him. But don’t take your stuff to an Apple Store to have them get the stuff off for you to go to an android or Windows mobile device.

  13. Howie Isaacks - 8 years ago

    I’m really sick and tired of Trump. He’s too shortsighted to understand that what Apple is fighting for is greater than any one case. A back door built into an iPhone WILL be exploited by someone in the future. There is no doubt about that. And before any of you rabid Trump fans start coming after me, you can take your best shot. Do your worst. It won’t bother me, and I will stand by what I say. Trump is not worthy of the office of President. Period. Of course neither is Barack Obama. I will be glad when he’s gone. Hopefully South Carolina voters will vote for someone other than Trump today.

    • André Hedegaard - 8 years ago

      Seems that South Carolina chose someone that leads in the polls with double digits ahead of no.2.
      Great news, if he’s elected president, there’ll be some good changes ahead for USA.

      • Howie Isaacks - 8 years ago

        I hope you’re right, but I still don’t like Trump.

  14. Alan Bigdelle - 8 years ago

    Listenning to Trump is sickening.

  15. André Hedegaard - 8 years ago

    I agree with Trump. Apple, just unlock our iPhones. Its ok. Only terrorists and criminals need to be afraid.

  16. adri2906 - 8 years ago

    Oh oh, we have a badass over here!

  17. I wonder how much Apple stock Trump holds? Or if he even knows.

  18. Eamon Conheady - 8 years ago

    The GOP platform os often focused on reducing government, stating that it has already overstepped it’s bounds on many fronts, such as health care. How is it unacceptable for the government to meddle in health care, but then turn around and demand access to encryption protocols on consumer goods created by a business such as Apple. Especially when the FBI caused the data to be locked out of Apple’s reach by resetting the password. Apple has always complied with requests when it can, now the FBI created the situation where Apple is unable to do so without dismantling the consumer security they have so carefully created for us all.

  19. Sérgio Labrujó Moreira - 8 years ago

    ohh Yeahh… we all should boycott apple’s gadgets not weapons, weapons are harmless!

Author

Avatar for Zac Hall Zac Hall

Zac covers Apple news, hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and created SpaceExplored.com.