White House Staff Banned From Using Personal Cell Phones At Work

The White House, the belly of an aging, pugnacious beast, has instituted a policy prohibiting staffers and guests from using personal cell phones within its walls—devices they desperately need to contact their families in case of an emergency, or to plot a swift escape.

Bloomberg reports that Chief of Staff John Kelly instituted the ban over concerns that personal phones are less secure than federally issued devices. White House aides denied that the policy has anything to with the numerous leaks of sensitive information (one of which allegedly came from Donald Trump himself, as you may recall), but expressed concerns that they can’t text or contact family with work phones.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the policy on Thursday, saying, “The security and integrity of the technology systems at the White House is a top priority for the Trump administration and therefore starting next week the use of all personal devices for both guests and staff will no longer be allowed in the West Wing.

“Staff will be able to conduct business on their government-issued devices and continue working hard on behalf of the American people,” she said.

But perhaps the ban, like so much of the White House’s policy, doubles as a babysitting measure to curb Donald Trump, who likes to give his personal cell phone number to world leaders and continued tweeting from his personal phone long after assuming office. Do we think that’ll work? No?