Donald Trump has signaled both publicly and privately that he no longer considers Russia a major cyber threat to US national security and critical infrastructure.
The shift, which starkly contradicts years of warnings from intelligence officials, has raised alarm among cybersecurity experts who fear that the United States is leaving itself exposed to Russian cyberattacks just as global tensions reach boiling point.
On Sunday night, it was reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered US Cyber Command to cease all offensive cyberoperations against Russia.
Critics warn the policy reversal appears to be driven by the administration’s warming relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Trump moves to realign U.S. foreign policy in a way that increasingly mirrors Moscow’s interests.
‘Russia and China are our biggest adversaries. With all the cuts being made to different agencies, a lot of cybersecurity personnel have been fired. Our systems are not going to be protected and our adversaries know this,’ a person familiar with the shift told The Guardian.
‘People are saying Russia is winning. Putin is on the inside now,’ they added.
According to a current official and two former officials briefed on the classified directive, the abrupt halt is reportedly part of a broader strategic effort to lure Putin into negotiations over Ukraine and reset relations with the US.
The decision marks a significant shift in the US cyber posture against an adversary known for its aggressive digital warfare, election interference, and relentless hacking campaigns.
Donald Trump has shown an increased willingness to work with the Russian President Putin
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered US Cyber Command to cease all offensive cyberoperations against Russia
President Donald Trump ended up shouting at Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in an extraordinary Oval Office meltdown on Friday
While some insiders argue the move is a necessary step in diplomacy, critics warn that it represents a dangerous retreat that could embolden Moscow to escalate its cyberattacks on the US and its allies.
‘It’s incomprehensible to give a speech about threats in cyberspace and not mention Russia and it’s delusional to think this will turn Russia and the FSB [the Russian security agency] into our friends,’ James Lewis, a veteran cyber expert, told The Guardian.
‘They hate the US and are still mad about losing the cold war. Pretending otherwise won’t change this.’
Hegseth’s directive, which is part of a broader reassessment of all U.S. military operations against Russia, has yet to be publicly explained.
However, the timing of the order which was given before President Trump’s Oval Office blowup with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky are apparently part of an effort to draw Russia into talks on the war.
The precise scope and duration of the directive by the Pentagon directive remains murky, particularly given the blurred lines between offensive and defensive cyberoperations.
Traditionally, offensive cyber warfare involves actively disrupting enemy networks, planting malicious software, or launching cyber strikes on critical infrastructure.
Defensive cyberoperations, on the other hand, aim to thwart incoming cyber threats, though often they require maintaining covert access to enemy networks for intelligence gathering.
For the US, retaining access to Russia’s digital infrastructure is crucial for monitoring Putin’s war strategy and internal political calculations as he enters negotiations.
Without such cyber tools, the US could be left flying blind in diplomatic talks where deception and manipulation are second nature to the Kremlin.
By unilaterally pulling back from the ‘shadow war’ in cyberspace, the administration is effectively betting that Putin will respond in kind – dialing down Russia’s relentless cyber intrusions into U.S. networks. Trump is seen meeting Putin in 2018
President Donald Trump with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, are seen praying during a cabinet meeting
Former officials acknowledge that it is common for civilian leaders to pause military operations during sensitive diplomatic negotiations to avoid derailing delicate discussions.
However, for President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth, the decision to halt cyber operations against Russia is something of a gamble.
By unilaterally pulling back from the ‘shadow war’ in cyberspace, the administration is effectively betting that Putin will respond in kind – dialing down Russia’s relentless cyber intrusions into U.S. networks, election interference, and digital sabotage across Europe.
Russia has consistently leveraged cyber warfare as a tool of statecraft, targeting American institutions, hospitals, infrastructure, and corporations with sophisticated ransomware and espionage operations.
Intelligence officials have repeatedly warned that such attacks are not merely criminal acts but are sanctioned, or at the very least tolerated, by Russian intelligence agencies.
In a United Nations cybersecurity working group last week, Liesyl Franz, deputy assistant secretary for international cybersecurity at the State Department, outlined US concerns about cyber threats – but conspicuously failed to mention Russia.
Instead, her speech only singled out China and Iran, omitting any reference to Moscow’s history of cyber warfare, including its well-documented attacks on US infrastructure and ongoing cyber operations in Ukraine.
Even more striking, Franz did not mention LockBit, the Russia-based ransomware group the US government has previously identified as the world’s most prolific.
The Treasury Department had previously warned that LockBit operates under a ransomware-as-a-service model, licensing its technology to criminals in exchange for a share of the profits. Y
et now, as the U.S. faces an unprecedented rise in ransomware attacks, the administration is choosing to look the other way.
Until now, U.S Cyber Command has played a leading role in countering Russia’s cyber aggression, often working in covert cooperation with Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).
While Britain and Canada may continue cyber operations against Russian targets, the Pentagon’s shift in focus could leave European allies exposed to unchecked Russian cyberattacks.
The decision to halt cyber operations comes amid broader concerns that the Trump administration is softening its stance toward Moscow.
In a striking diplomatic break, last week the US voted against a United Nations resolution that described Russia as the aggressor in Ukraine, instead siding with Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Belarus.
This move alarmed US allies, who fear that Washington is inching toward appeasement at a time when Moscow remains committed to its military ambitions in Ukraine.
Even within the administration, tensions over the shift in strategy are evident.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the urgency of bringing Russia to the negotiating table but dismissed concerns that the administration is being too lenient on Putin.
‘You’re not going to bring them to the table if you’re calling them names, if you’re being antagonistic,’ Rubio said on ABC’s This Week.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the urgency of bringing Russia to the negotiating table but dismissed concerns the administration is being too lenient on Putin.
Protestors hold up a sign as members of the New York Ukrainian community and supporters gather in Times Square over the weekend
A participant in a demonstration against Vladimir Putin in Berlin holds up sign with Putin holding Trump on a leash
A woman carries a banner reading ‘Trump is putin’s puppet’ during ‘We Stand With Zelenskyy And Europe’ demonstration in front of In Solidarity With Ukraine And Zelenskyy In Krakow on Saturday
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the administration’s decision, arguing that the Pentagon’s retreat from offensive cyber operations effectively hands Putin a free pass
‘That’s just the president’s instincts from years and years and years of putting together deals as someone who’s in business.’
Rubio was not directly questioned about the decision to halt cyber operations, but when pressed about why the US was easing pressure on Moscow, he bristled, insisting that the administration’s goal is peace.
‘If this was a Democrat that was doing this, everyone would be saying, well, he’s on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize,’ Rubio scoffed. ‘This is absurd. We are trying to end a war.’
Not everyone is convinced that de-escalating cyber warfare is the right move.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the administration’s decision, arguing that the Pentagon’s retreat from offensive cyber operations effectively hands Putin a free pass.
‘Russia continues to launch cyberoperations and ransomware attacks against critical American infrastructure, and the Trump administration is rewarding them by backing off,’ Schumer warned. ‘This is a critical strategic mistake.’
The concerns are shared by national security veterans who have spent years monitoring Russia’s cyber playbook.
Under the Biden administration, US intelligence agencies had warned that Russia’s ultimate goal was to undermine US security, disrupt American infrastructure, and spread political chaos.
Those warnings led to the creation of specialized cyber task forces within the National Security Agency and Cyber Command, designed to counter Russian cyberattacks in real-time.
But under Hegseth’s new directive, the efforts seems likey to be scaled back leaving America more vulnerable.
