Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump called for a boycott of Apple today, until the company complies with US government demands to unlock the iPhone of a terror suspect in the San Bernardino attacks.
“Apple ought to give the security for that phone, OK?” Trump told a campaign rally in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.
“What I think you ought to do is boycott Apple until such time as they give that security number,” he added. “I just thought of it. Boycott Apple.”
Here’a a video of Trump at the rally.
Donald Trump calls for Apple boycott until company unlocks San Bernardino shooter’s phone: https://t.co/bIlQJ6Dl71https://t.co/PqntV6xtnv
— ABC News (@ABC) February 19, 2016
The US government had sought a court order on Friday to force Apple to help unlock the iPhone as part of a probe into last year’s San Bernardino attacks, which has escalated a legal showdown over encryption.
But, while Trump rallied for a boycott, he continued to tweet to his followers using his iPhone. Naturally, it opened a floodgate of comments taking potshots at Trump on the social media network.
Here are some notable tweets.
Donald Trump announces boycott of Apple… keeps tweeting from his iPhone https://t.co/TvsJ6DucuT pic.twitter.com/1AsvbzNVmL
— The Independent (@Independent) February 20, 2016
Donald Trump calls for boycott on Apple … while tweeting from iPhone https://t.co/Rg7nSSnHoq pic.twitter.com/zuPKYsCEvI
— 9to5Mac (@9to5mac) February 19, 2016
can we boycott trump instead
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 19, 2016
Donald Trump wants to boycott Apple product.
Donald Trump calls for boycott of Apple. Because after he attacked the Pope, he needs to find a target that’s even holier to most Americans.
— Eric Kleefeld (@EricKleefeld) February 19, 2016
Trump defended his usage of iPhone, and stated that he’d only use his Samsung phone until Apple gave in to the demands of the US government.
I use both iPhone & Samsung. If Apple doesn’t give info to authorities on the terrorists I’ll only be using Samsung until they give info.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2016
According to Twitter’s API, Trump has sent 101 tweets from his iPhone, 87 from his Samsung, and four from the web client, stated a report in Quartz.
With inputs from AFP
(Feature image source: Flickr)