Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Orders Pentagon To Halt Offensive Cyber Operations Against Russia

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive to U.S. Cyber Command at the Pentagon to pause offensive digital action against Russia. The instructions were given before President Donald Trump‘s hostile interaction with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Friday. 

Rep. Mike Turner, the former Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation saying that he was certain the news was wrong “considering what Russia is currently doing against the United States, that the United States, the status against Russia would not be that, considering what we are facing from Russia operations.” However, NBC News confirmed that the report, initially from the cybersecurity publication The Record, was correct.

The U.S.’s access to major Russian networks being curtailed has sparked much concern about how far the Trump administration is willing to go to develop a strong relationship with Russian President Vladamir Putin and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a statement, “Donald Trump is so desperate to earn the affection of a thug like Vladimir Putin he appears to be giving him a free pass as Russia continues to launch cyber operations and ransomware attacks against critical American infrastructure, threatening our economic and national security.”

The action also follows the White House’s freezing of U.S. aid to Ukraine, which aligns with Russia’s wishes. Schumer said, “It is a critical strategic mistake for Donald Trump to unilaterally disarm against Putin.”

According to The Record, thousands of personnel could be affected by Hegseth’s order. Operations aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s digital defenses are likely to be among those affected.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC, “You’re not going to bring [the Russians] to the table if you’re calling them names, if you’re being antagonistic. That’s just the president’s instincts from years and years and years of putting together deals.”