Ben Carson responded yesterday to Apple’s defiance of a court order to help the FBI break into the phone used by one of the perpetrators of the San Bernardino massacre by implying that under a “trustworthy” Carson administration, the company would be more willing to give in.
When conservative talk radio host Mike Gallagher asked Carson about the controversy, the Republican presidential candidate said that it was important to develop “public-private partnerships” because “cyber-crime is going to be the next weapon of mass destruction, and if we’re not willing to work together on that, we’re going to die together.”
When Gallagher asked if he agreed with the Obama administration’s position that Apple should help break into the phone, Carson said yes, but that the company might be more willing to cooperate with a more “trustworthy” administration.
“In general, I think it would be a good idea,” he said, “but I do understand why Apple might not be particularly fond of this government because they’ve been so dishonest in so many other areas. But if we get an administration that is trustworthy, I believe one of the first things that we’re going to push for are the right kinds of public-private partnerships.”
