Jeb Bush is not backing away from a hardline stance against the use of encryption among tech companies.
The former Florida governor said he would compel Silicon Valley companies to give the federal government access to encrypted personal data for national security purposes in a meandering and sometimes ambiguous monologue on the topic during Thursday night's Republican candidate debate in South Carolina.
“There needs to be complete dialogue with large technology companies. They understand there's a national security risk,” he said.
Moderator Neil Cavuto then pressed the candidate on whether he'd "ask" or "order" their cooperation. Bush responded that he would require it "if the law would change."
He tempered his statements, however, with the claim that the government is currently outmatched in its technical capacity to effectively monitor for potential terrorist threats and suggested that if measures taken against encryption are too strict, it could drive terrorists off of American platforms in favor of those headquartered outside the United States.
“I think there has to be a recognition that if we are too punitive, they’ll go to other technology companies outside the United States,” Bush said. “What we want to do is to control it -- We also want to dominate this from a commercial side. So there’s a lot of balanced interests.”
Did Jeb say we need an anti-encryption law but one that's not so strong that ISIS takes its business elsewhere? #GOPDebate— Dan Kennedy (@dankennedy_nu) January 15, 2016
The debate over whether tech companies should be more forthcoming with encrypted data can be tricky territory for GOP candidates, who have to walk the line between appearing tough on national security and friendly to private enterprise. The unease is further compounded by the technical complexity of the issue, which oftentimes leads candidates outside their rhetorical wheelhouse.
Many on Twitter were perplexed by Bush's wording and accused the candidate of having a shaky grasp on the nuances of the debate.
Jeb is really getting tangled up in his words on this encryption question #GOPDebate— Kristin Lynch (@Lyncherator) January 15, 2016
Jeb Bush is making the mistake of actually trying to engage on issues like encryption that he doesn't know enough about.— Kyle Orland (@KyleOrl) January 15, 2016
Jeb! "We have encrypt... uh.. encryption."— Alex Hanna (@alexhanna) January 15, 2016
What's coming out of Bush's mouth on encryption sounds like a public key read aloud. #GOPDebate— Zach Everson (@Z_Everson) January 15, 2016
So my takeaway from Jeb's word salad is that he wants to control and dominate tech companies and our privacy. Got it. #GOPDebate— Political Season (@politicalseason) January 15, 2016
The role of the tech industry in fighting terrorism has figured more heavily in the election following high-profile terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino and other places.
Tech companies have been reluctant to work closely with the federal government since Edward Snowden unmasked the massive extent of surveillance operations in 2013 -- a revelation that was said to have cost companies valuable overseas business contracts. They contend that letting security agencies access the data through a so-called "backdoor" would weaken overall security.
Bush previously spoke out strongly against encryption at a South Carolina campaign event sponsored by an advocacy group heavily affiliated with military contractors.
“If you create encryption, it makes it harder for the American government to do its job — while protecting civil liberties — to make sure that evildoers aren’t in our midst,” he said at the time.
President Barack Obama has repeatedly urged companies like Apple, Google and Facebook to allow security agencies access to the data, but the industry has remained steadfast in its opposition. Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook lashed out at the White House for not supporting encryption at a counterterrorism summit in San Jose.
With the exception of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, most Republican candidates who have addressed the issue have sided with government security -- though some have toed the line more than others. During another candidate debate in December, former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina said the government needed to "ask" not "force" companies to hand over data.