The White House took a pass on Wednesday when asked whether courts should order Apple to assist authorities in breaking into one of the company’s devices.
“You know, again, for the merits of that argument and why the Department of Justice has concluded that that’s important, I’d refer you to them,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters, responding to repeated questions about the White House’s position on the issue.
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“The president certainly believes that that is an important national priority,” Earnest said. “But it’s ultimately the responsibility of these independent law enforcement professionals to do that.”
Earnest clarified that the president “believes in the principle of protecting the privacy and civil liberties of the American people.” However, he added, the White House didn’t see the issue through that prism, “because we are not asking Apple to redesign its products or to create a new back door to its products. This is a much more specific request that the Department of Justice has put forward.”
A judge in California has ordered Apple to assist authorities in disabling an autodestruct function on an iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the perpetrators in a Dec. 2 terrorist attack in San Bernardino. The phone was issued to Farook through his job at the San Bernardino Department of Public Health, so it is not clear the device has relevance to the attack that took place. However, it is a subject of interest to officials who are unable to access its contents.
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Apple on Tuesday announced plans to appeal the order, saying it would set a precedent that is unacceptable, both in the United States and in countries around the world.
