Location of world leaders including Putin, Trump and Macron ‘revealed by Strava security teams’

Investigation suggests the movements of some of the world’s most prominent leaders were tracked online via a fitness app used by their bodyguards

French newspaper report Le Monde said that several US Secret Service agents use Strava fitness app that exposed the US president’s highly confidential moves Joe Bidenpresidential rival Donald Trump and Kamala Harris et al world leaders.

The investigation also identified Strava users among the security staff of French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Strava is a popular app among runners and cyclists that allows users to record and share their physical activity with the community.

In one instance, Le Monde tracked the activity of Macron’s bodyguards on Strava and revealed that the French president spent a weekend in Honfleur, a seaside resort in Normandy, in 2021 – a private trip that was not publicly disclosed in his official schedule.

The report further indicated that the locations of former first lady Melania Trump and current first lady Jill Biden could be identified by monitoring their security teams’ Strava profiles.

The US Secret Service told the newspaper it does not believe the protection it provides has been compromised in any way.

In another example, Le Monde used an agent’s Strava profile to reveal the location of the hotel where Biden was staying in San Francisco for high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2023. A few hours before Biden’s arrival, the agent left the hotel for a run and used Strava to trace his route.

In a statement to the newspaper, the Secret Service said its employees are prohibited from using personal electronic devices while on protective duty, but “we do not prohibit an employee from using social media for personal purposes off duty.”

It continued: “Affected staff have been notified. We will review this information to determine whether additional training or guidance is needed. We do not assess whether there has been any impact on protective measures or risks to any protected persons,” he added. Locations “are regularly disclosed through public schedule releases.”

The newspaper identified 26 US agents, 12 members of the French GSPR (Group of Security for the Presidency of the Republic) and six members of the Russian FSO (Federal Protective Service) responsible for the president’s security, all with public profiles on Strava and effectively sharing their locations online, even during official trips.

Macron’s office said on Monday that the consequences of the problems reported by “Le Monde” “are very minor and do not in any way affect the security of the president of the republic.” But he added: “Nevertheless, the chief of staff sent a reminder to agents asking them not to use the app.”

For security reasons, Le Monde chose not to reveal the names of the security guards.