Report: Chinese and Russian spies listening in to Trump's calls

US President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee. Photo / AP

Chinese and Russian agents listen in to calls US President Donald Trump makes on an insecure cellphone, the New York Times reports.

It says that Chinese spies have listened to Trump talking on an iPhone. Aides have told the President that Russian spies were also regularly listening in.

The New York Times report cites current and former officials. The newspaper says that the officials talking about Trump's refusal to stop making unsecured calls were frustrated at the situation. Security experts have raised concerns in the past.

Trump has been pressured into using his White House landline more often, but has still refused to give up his iPhones. "White House officials say they can only hope he refrains from discussing classified information when he is on them," the New York Times report says.

Trump has two official iPhones that have been altered and limited by the NSA. Trump keeps a third personal phone because he can store his contacts in it.

Trump mentioned his cellphone use to the Wall Street Journal this week.

"I actually said don't give it to me on the phone," Trump said of information on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "I don't want it on the phone. As good as these phones are supposed to be."

The New York Times says the Chinese gain insights into how to best "work the President" and affect Administration policy.

American spy agencies had learned that China and Russia were listening from "human sources inside foreign governments and intercepting communications between foreign officials".

Administration officials said Trump's longtime paranoia about surveillance "gave them some comfort that he was not disclosing classified information on the calls. They said they had further confidence he was not spilling secrets because he rarely digs into the details of the intelligence he is shown and is not well versed in the operational specifics of military or covert activities," the New York Times reported.