Obama switching NY hotels amid China spying fears
President Obama and his entourage will break with tradition and not stay at New York’s Waldorf Astoria
hotel during the United Nations General Assembly this month, the White House said.
The iconic hotel was sold by Hilton Worldwide Holdings to a Chinese conglomerate in 2014, prompting concerns about espionage and security. Obama and his team of advisers will stay at the Lotte New York Palace hotel instead.
{mosads}“I can confirm the report that the president will stay — and the rest of the U.S. delegation will stay at the New York Palace Hotel,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
The news was first reported by The Associated Press.
The move has long been rumored but was made official on Friday. Earnest said “there are a range of considerations that influence where the president will stay while away from the White House” including “security.”
U.S. fears about Chinese espionage have spiked following major hacks of the Office of Professional Management that exposed the personal data of millions of government workers. China is widely believed to have been behind the hack.
In response, the Obama administration is reportedly weighing sanctions against Chinese interests or companies. The issue of cybersecurity is expected to be a focal point of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the U.S. later this month.
This story wad updated at 12:29 p.m.