The United Kingdom has withdrawn its controversial demand for Apple to grant government access to encrypted iCloud data following negotiations with the Trump administration, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed on Tuesday.

In a post on X, Gabbard said the U.K. agreed to abandon its mandate that would have forced Apple to build a “backdoor” into its cloud systems a move that critics warned would undermine global privacy protections.

“As a result, the U.K. has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a ‘back door’ that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,” Gabbard wrote, adding that she worked alongside President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the negotiations.

The Encryption Standoff

The demand, first reported by The Washington Post in February, was issued under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act 2016, often called the Snoopers’ Charter. It required Apple to provide access to data protected by Advanced Data Protection (ADP) — an opt-in feature that enables full end-to-end encryption of iCloud, meaning only users can unlock their files.

Apple resisted, warning that granting such access would set a dangerous precedent. The company initially responded by disabling ADP for new U.K. users and notifying existing users they would eventually need to turn it off. Apple also challenged the mandate in court, with judges later ruling the case should be heard in public.

Global Privacy Concerns

Privacy advocates and cybersecurity experts condemned the U.K.’s move, warning it could weaken digital security worldwide and embolden other governments to demand similar access from tech companies.

Apple has repeatedly stated it has “never built a backdoor or master key” into its products and has vowed it “never will.”

As of now, Apple and the U.K. Home Office which led the demand have not issued public statements on the government’s reversal.