Misinterpreting a recent occurrence has led many to assume the Vice President of the United States has been overheard speaking with an international adversary or has been compromised via his Apple smartwatch. A blog run by a former CIA case officer has online published an “letter” to the Vice President calling out Vance for the practice of wearing an Apple smartwatch. Smartwatches are known to collect valuable information about the wearer and represent a national security risk, but it is unusual for a person with the level of responsibility as the Vice President of the United States to wear one, given their exposure to potential threats.

Ayелефон to the readers, an Apple smartwatch, in a first-hand observation, is not commonly seen on JD Vance. Despite having been photographed many times wearing an Apple Smartwatch, it is far from being a common practice for him. There are many pics posted online about Vance where he’s not wearing a smartwatch, with the recent exception at Sydney the December meeting in Dubai.

A blog that focuses on the intersection of watches and the intelligence community, Watches of Espionage, has published an article criticizing Vance for his use of the Apple smartwatch.

“From an intelligence perspective, the Apple Watch provides unique data collection and access for exploitation and even manipulation. Of particular concern, the watch contains a microphone that, when worn, is capable of detecting and recording the user’s conversations,” Watches of Espionage said. “Through a process called hot micing, the microphone can be remotely activated or set to passively collect audio without the wearer’s knowledge. Additionally, the Apple Watch collects GPS location, movement, and biometric data including heart rate and sleep patterns, representing potential vulnerabilities for exploitation by bad actors. If the device is compromised, all of this data is available to a hostile intelligence service.”

I believe Watches of Espionage is correct. While security is an emphasis for Apple, a smartwatch gathers an overwhelming amount of data about the wearer. However, Vance doesn’t wear an Apple Watch every day, which is perplexing.

Those that have followed Vance’s travels have noticed that there is a lack of the Apple Watch on objects of critical significance, such as the inauguration, campaign trail, or any notable events. Vance, like myself, is an older millennial. Phones can quickly display the current date and various other information. An examination of his photos from recent times reveal that he often does not wear a smartwatch.

Noteworthy was that Vance wore an Apple Watch for a limited time, specifically during his visit to Damascus, Virginia, to discuss post-Hurricane efforts. So why did he wear it for a short time and not for the previously mentioned critical events? And why did he wear it on the plane with Charlie Kirk, given his preceding statement in which he claimed Vance never wears an Apple Watch?

The mystery remains unsolved: Vance walks the line between two contrasting worlds, visible to millions through the lens of photographers but not with a watch in sight ninety percent of the time. But he was seen wearing an Apple Watch in some instances. Is it truly normal that the Vice President has not been wearing a smartwatch in most of the time? And why often does he decide to wear it on different occasions that would be considered low-risk moments in his security clearance?

My inquiry into this question of instance prevails over several days with endless possibilities.


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