President Trump calls Boeing a 'big, big disappointment' and says Apple 'has to help' on police access to encrypted phones

Davos (AFP), US President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticized Boeing as a “very disappointing company” because of the aerospace giant’s recent problems, which he said had a knock-on effect for the US economy.

“This is one of the great companies of the world, let’s say as of a year ago, and then all of a sudden things happen,” Trump said in an interview on CNBC from the Davos economic forum in Switzerland.

This “had a tremendous impact. You know, when you talk about growth, it’s so big that some people say it’s more than a half a point of GDP. So Boeing — big, a big disappointment to me,” he said.

Very disappointing company. This is one of the great companies of the world, let’s say as of a year ago, and then all of a sudden things happen. I am so disappointed in Boeing-- had a tremendous impact. You know, when you talk about growth, it’s so big that some people say it’s more than a half a point of GDP. So Boeing-- big, big disappointment to me. Big disappointment.

The president said Apple 'has to help' on police access to encrypted phones.

Apple dropped plans to let iPhone users fully encrypt backups of their devices in the company’s iCloud service after the FBI complained that the move would harm investigations, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

"I like them a lot. I think we should do some encryption."

" I think we should-- we should start finding some of the bad people out there that we can do with Apple."

! I think it’s very important. Frankly, I’ve helped them a lot. I’ve given them waivers, because I want them-- it’s a great company, but it made a big difference. "

Trump said: "Now, you know, they compete against Samsung. Mostly Samsung. I guess that would be their number one competitor. That’s from South Korea. It’s not fair, because we have a trade deal with South Korea, so Samsung would get the no waiver. And they would-- they would have to pay-- tariffs. "

"So I did waivers, but I want them to help us a little bit. They-- you know, Apple has to help us. And I’m very strong on it. They have the keys to so many criminals and criminal minds, and we can do things. When they had the problem with the-- recently in Florida. I won’t go into it, because it’s so horrible."

Apple’s reversal, about two years ago, has not previously been reported. It shows how much Apple has been willing to help U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, despite taking a harder line in high-profile legal disputes with the government and casting itself as a defender of its customers’ information.

(CNBC)