Last week, we reported that Trump had somewhat begrudgingly trading his beloved Android phone in for something more secure. An unnamed encrypted device with a phone number that “few people possess.” At the time, it seemed to put to rest the question of whether the new president would finally abandon his personal Twitter machine for the sake of national security.
Now, deep in a story by The New York Times, the same outlet that initially reported on the peaceful transition of handsets, is passing mention of the fact that maybe Trump hasn’t given up on old faithful after all.
In an article detailing his new daily routine at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the paper notes that Trump spends some of his evenings away from Melania and Barron sitting in front of the TV with “his old, unsecured Android phone,” a fact that has apparently been the source of protest among some of the president’s aides.
In the lead up to inauguration, Trump was reportedly concerned about giving up his device over fears that doing so would cause him to become more isolated after his move from Trump Tower, causing him to lose touch with friends.
Apparently like just about every other aspect of his presidency thus far, he’s doing it his way in the end – a decision that could well provoke a new conversation around security after an election plagued by hacking concerns.