Tulsi Gabbard, the director of US National Intelligence, says she was not informed in advance about the UK government’s demand to be able to access Apple customers’ encrypted data from anywhere in the world.
Earlier this year, the UK government asked for the right to see the data, which currently not even Apple can access.
The tech giant last week took the unprecedented step of removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK.
In a letter, Ms Gabbard said she was seeking further information from the FBI and other US agencies and said, if the reports were true, the UK government’s actions amounted to an “egregious violation” of US citizens’ privacy.