"Stunning security breach": Sondland's cell phone call to 45 from Kiev restaurant

[Tanuki]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/ambassadors-cellphone-call-to-trump-from-kyiv-restaurant-was-a-stunning-breach-of-security-former-officials-say/2019/11/13/37d75752-0641-11ea-b17d-8b867891d39d_story.html#click=https://t.co/DDJHL935Wy

"A U.S. ambassador’s cellphone call to President Trump from a restaurant in the capital of Ukraine this summer was a stunning breach of security, exposing the conversation to surveillance by foreign intelligence services, including Russia’s, former U.S. officials said.

The call — in which Trump’s remarks were overheard by a U.S. Embassy staffer in Kyiv — was disclosed Wednesday by the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, William B. Taylor Jr., on the dramatic opening day of public impeachment hearings into alleged abuse of power by the president.

......


Sondland, Taylor said, told Trump in that conversation that “the Ukrainians were ready to move forward” on the investigations.

The U.S. Embassy staffer who overheard the call, political counselor David Holmes, is scheduled to testify Friday before House impeachment investigators in a closed session.

“The security ramifications are insane — using an open cellphone to communicate with the president of the United States,” said Larry Pfeiffer, a former senior director of the White House Situation Room and a former chief of staff to the CIA director. “In a country that is so wired with Russian intelligence, you can almost take it to the bank that the Russians were listening in on the call.”

(More at link)

[Johnny2X2X]

1. Butter Emails!

Seriously. Trump is a walking talking security threat to the US.

I hope our intelligence community has been operating under the new assumption that we have zero secrets anymore, that’s probably the only way to deal with this.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

2. we still have an intelligence community?

With so many Putin puppets in our government, it would be amazing if any patriots left in our intelligence community are not boxed in.

[Jewls2]

3. This is the craziest three years. And still his supporters don't acknowledge the craziness.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. They will claim the phone call was only about golf.

...........

And welcome to DU, Jewls2!......

[Skittles]

4. since they seem to be WORKING FOR RUSSIA

it's actually SOP for repukes, isn't it?

[aeromanKC]

5. Not a one off

Why do I have a hard time believing this call is a one off and this is not an isolated situation. Would be interesting to know who else has this phone number to Trump.

[DeminPennswoods]

8. Since he was elected, Trump's been using his personal cell phone

to call all his friends outside government and chit chat. I'm sure not just Russia, but the intelligence agencies for many countries have been able to listen in on his calls for the last 2+ years.

[intrepidity]

6. TBH, Trump probably already had Putin patched into the call anyway

To show him what a good job he is doing trying to deflect the heat from Russia to Ukraine. Trump definitely wants the Russians to hear his phone calls, are you kidding me? They don't have to even tap his lines, they know it.

We, apparently, are the ones who need to tap his line.

Upside down world I tell ya.

[IADEMO2004]

7. Open and transparent government. Wouldn't be surprised if Putin gave them the phones.

More bars on Kremlin phones in that region.

[NCjack]

10. No regard for secure communications. Looks like a deliberate means by

Putin's-bitch -#45 to keep Russia informed.

[Mister Ed]

11. "...take it to the bank that the Russians were listening in on the call." Perhaps intentional?

No need for the Trump administration to set up a back-door communications channel to Putin when they can just broadcast information to him.