The domestic government doesn't need legal precedent to ask Apple to do things either; it usually just helps in the case of political cover and the inevitable p

The domestic government doesn't need legal precedent to ask Apple to do things either; it usually just helps in the case of political cover and the inevitable pushback from the public or other branches of government. With regards to international politics, if the USA can demand that Apple unlocks devices for any reason, then the US government will have a hard time defending a decision to aid Apple in resisting a foreign power when it requests the same broad privilege.