The United Kingdom has backed down from its demand that Apple provide "backdoor" access to U.S. customer data stored on its encrypted iCloud service, according to U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The move ends a months-long dispute that pitted Apple against the Home Office and drew in senior U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Trump publicly rebuked Britain's demand earlier this year, comparing it to China's surveillance practices and telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer: "You can't do this."
Gabbard said in a post on X that the resolution ensures "Americans' private data remains private and our constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected." She added that she worked "closely with our partners in the UK, alongside President Trump and Vice President Vance" to reach the outcome.
The row began in January when the Home Office issued Apple a "technical capability notice" under the Investigatory Powers Act, requiring the company to enable access to encrypted data. Apple challenged the order in court, winning the right to discuss it publicly despite government efforts to keep the case secret. In February, Apple withdrew the Advanced Data Protection option for new UK customers, saying it would "never build a backdoor into any of its products."
The dispute drew sharp criticism from U.S. officials. Vice President Vance said it was "crazy" to create vulnerabilities that "our enemies are now using." Civil liberties advocates warned that such backdoors would put activists, journalists, and minority groups at greater risk of surveillance.
According to two Egyptian security sources, the original order could have granted access to the data of both U.K. and U.S. citizens. The U.S.-U.K. data access agreement under the CLOUD Act expressly prohibits targeting the other country's citizens' data. Gabbard said the UK's retreat means the mandate is no longer in effect.
The Home Office declined to confirm Gabbard's claim, saying: "We do not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying the existence of such notices." The agency emphasized that it would continue to pursue threats such as terrorism and child sexual abuse "while maintaining safeguards to protect privacy and sovereignty."
