The United Kingdom has dropped its demand that Apple provide backdoor access to Americans’ encrypted data following negotiations with the Trump administration. The move, confirmed Tuesday by President Donald Trump’s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, ends months of tensions over privacy and surveillance concerns.
Vice President JD Vance led the U.S. side of the talks, pressing the UK to abandon its order that would have required Apple to weaken encryption for U.S. citizens. Vance, who has emphasized technology, privacy, and free speech in his policy priorities, worked closely with UK officials to secure the agreement. A U.S. official noted the deal protects American sovereignty while maintaining data-sharing cooperation between both nations.
Gabbard told the Financial Times that the UK government “agreed to drop” its demand, which President Trump had compared to the surveillance tactics of China. She stressed the outcome protects Americans’ constitutional rights, saying, “Over the past few months, I’ve been working closely with our partners in the UK, alongside President Trump and Vice President Vance, to ensure Americans’ private data remains private and our constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected.”
British officials provided mixed reactions. One described the issue as “settled,” while another admitted the government “caved” to American pressure. A third official said the UK “can’t and won’t” force Apple to create a backdoor.
The dispute escalated earlier this year when Apple withdrew its iCloud Advanced Data Protection from the UK in protest of new surveillance requirements. Apple reaffirmed its longstanding policy, stating it has “never built a back door or master key” to its products and “never will.” The company later filed a complaint with the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal, set for a hearing in early 2026.
The UK’s Investigatory Powers Act, often criticized as a “snooper’s charter,” gives broad surveillance authority to government agencies. The Home Office has defended the powers as necessary to combat terrorism and child exploitation. However, under the U.S.-UK Data Access Agreement, both governments already have mechanisms to request data while respecting national sovereignty. The Home Office said safeguards exist to prevent either side from targeting the data of each other’s citizens.
In a February letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Gabbard warned that forcing Apple to provide a backdoor would create a major vulnerability for exploitation by hostile foreign actors. She said any cooperation between governments and private companies must respect U.S. law and constitutional rights.
