One of the most difficult decisions Donald Trump had to make during his two-day stay in Beijing was to part with his beloved mobile phone, in one of the most unusual security measures implemented during his trip to the Chinese capital.

According to the New York Post, like all travelers visiting China, the U.S. president was informed that he should not use personal electronic devices, in order to protect his data from potential hacker attacks or surveillance.

This restriction is considered particularly difficult for Trump, who is known for his constant use of his phone—whether to communicate with friends and associates, receive calls from journalists, or post messages and memes on Truth Social.

A White House official confirmed that Trump would not use his personal phone during his stay in China.

Posts on his Truth Social account were noticeably limited during the summit with Xi Jinping and are believed to have been published from Washington, where members of the White House staff worked…on Beijing time to provide remote support for the mission.

Trump, however, was not the only one required to operate without personal devices during this “digital lockdown.”

Members of the U.S. government team used special “burner phones” (small, inexpensive phones intended for short-term use that ensure anonymity) and temporary email addresses during the two-day summit, as part of White House security measures to protect information and ensure the smooth conduct of the visit.

These devices had almost all major functions and applications removed, operating as “clean” phones with minimal stored data, to limit damage in case of a breach.

The U.S. State Department has long warned Americans traveling to China that “there is no expectation of privacy on mobile phones or other networks in China,” noting that many travelers choose to carry electronic devices without personal data.

For White House officials, personal devices were stored on the presidential aircraft Air Force One in special cases that block all types of signals, including GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RFID. These cases protect sensitive data from possible remote cyberattacks.

Trump and his aides would regain access to their personal devices once they boarded the presidential aircraft. Air Force One is considered U.S. territory regardless of its location, and the aircraft functions as a flying secure facility SCIF, equipped with additional data protection mechanisms.