The Trump administration has launched an internal leak investigation that has put the personal mobile phones of several White House and government officials under scrutiny. That comes after sensitive information about a luxury Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that is being prepared for presidential use was leaked to the media.
Several reports say investigators are trying to find the source of the leaks by looking at communications with officials who had access to information about the aircraft. Some officials were allegedly asked to hand over their mobile phones as part of the investigation, adding to an already fraught environment of information security and internal leak investigations in the US government.
What Triggered the Investigation?
The probe started after it became clear that there were security concerns surrounding the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 that has been modified to be a presidential aircraft.
Media reported that although extensive upgrades were made, the aircraft was not yet equipped with the same level of protection, secure communications systems and defensive capabilities as the existing Air Force One fleet. The reports also said the aircraft was being fast-tracked for service before all security enhancements had been completed.
President Donald Trump has defended the aircraft and dismissed claims it was not ready for presidential travel. The administration immediately ordered an internal investigation to determine who had leaked confidential information to journalists after the reports, the reports said.
Why Are Officials Being Asked to Hand Over Their Phones?
Investigators suspect the leaked information may have been from officials involved in presidential travel planning, aircraft modification or national security assessments.
As a result, several White House and government officials, who had access to information about the aircraft, were part of the investigation, according to the report. Some were asked to voluntarily give their mobile phones so investigators could examine communications and trace the possible source of the leak.
The requests were said to include government-issued and personal mobile phones, so the investigation was particularly unusual.
Not all officials agreed to hand over their devices. At least one federal agency advised employees to consult agency lawyers right away if outside investigators attempted to get in touch with their personal phones, the report said.
The development illustrates the fact that digital devices are now central to leak investigations; text messages, encrypted chats, emails and call records can help investigators reconstruct how sensitive information reached the media.
The Aircraft at the Centre of the Controversy
At the center of the investigation is a Boeing 747 supposedly gifted by Qatar, valued at approximately $400 million.
The aircraft is currently being modified to serve as a presidential transport plane. But security experts had voiced concerns that it still lacked several advanced defensive systems, secure communications equipment and survivability features found on the current Air Force One aircraft.
The Air Force One fleet was built since the late 1970s to work in war, nuclear crises and other high-risk situations and features like missile defense systems, encrypted communication and other security features that commercial aircraft never have.
Trump has dismissed speculation in the media that security concerns may have affected his travel plans but sources said the aircraft's readiness was a big topic of discussion within the administration.
Leak Investigation Continues
The investigation is still ongoing and officials are still trying to determine how confidential information about the aircraft got out into the public domain.
The case has also revived the debate on how far the government can go in investigating leaks—when private devices of public officials are involved in the investigation.
Although no findings have ever been made public and no official has been accused of wrongdoing, the investigation is indicative of the Trump administration’s determination to probe the source of the disclosures on one of the nation’s most glamorous aviation projects.
