US President Donald Trump has launched fresh attacks on tech giant Apple over privacy issues.

According to details, Trump said that the company was refusing to unlock iPhones used by violent criminal elements like killers and drug dealers.

“We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers, and other violent criminal elements. They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump tweeted.

We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements. They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2020

His comments have come after US Attorney General William Barr accused Apple of not being cooperative in an inquiry into a shooting that is being treated as a terrorist act, “Apple had failed to provide substantive assistance to unlock two iPhones in an investigation into a deadly shooting at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida,” Mr. Barr said.

On the other hand, Apple has rejected the claim that the company did not provide assistance to the officials in investigation.

"Our responses to their many requests since the attack have been timely, thorough and are ongoing," it said in a statement.

This is not the first time Apple has clashed with the US justice department. Earlier, after a fatal shooting incident in San Bernardino, California in 2015, Apple refused to provide access to the gunman's iPhone.