April 26, 2025 3:47 am
Full News

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Halts US Cyber Command’s Offensive Operations Against Russia

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the US Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, according to a current official and two former officials briefed on the secret instructions. The move is part of a broader effort to draw Russian President Vladimir Putin into talks on Ukraine and establish a new relationship with the United States.

Hegseth’s instructions, part of a larger re-evaluation of all operations against Russia, have not been publicly explained. However, they were issued before President Donald Trump’s public blow-up in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28. The precise scope and duration of the Defense Department order remain unclear, as the line between offensive and defensive cyber operations is often blurred.

Retaining access to major Russian networks for espionage purposes is crucial to understanding Putin’s intentions as he enters negotiations and tracking internal arguments within Russia about conditions to insist upon and potential concessions.

Former officials note that it is common for civilian leaders to order pauses in military operations during sensitive diplomatic negotiations to avoid derailing them. However, for Trump and Hegseth, the retreat from offensive cyber operations against Russian targets represents a significant gamble. It essentially counts on Putin to reciprocate by easing what many call the “shadow war” against the US and its traditional allies in Europe.

US officials have reported that Russia has continued to try to penetrate US networks, including in the first weeks of the Trump administration. Over the past year, ransomware attacks on US hospitals, infrastructure, and cities have ramped up, many originating from Russia in what intelligence officials describe as largely criminal acts sanctioned or ignored by Russian intelligence agencies.

Sabotage efforts in Europe, including suspected Russian attempts to cut communication cables, mysterious explosions, and Russian-directed assassination plots, have accelerated in the past year. The US has been central in helping European nations fight back, often in covert cyber operations, but that cooperation could now be in jeopardy.

Many of these operations are run out of Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters and, to some extent, by Canada. It is possible they will continue that work while the US focuses on China, its most sophisticated adversary in cyberspace.

Russia also ran an aggressive influence campaign during the last presidential campaign, according to reports by US intelligence agencies during the Biden administration. In recent election cycles, the US Cyber Command has conducted secret operations to hamper or curtail those influence efforts.

However, the Trump administration has begun to dismantle efforts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to warn about Russian propaganda. The Pentagon’s order will halt, at least for now, any further Cyber Command efforts to interrupt future Russian influence campaigns.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the urgency of getting Russia to the negotiating table over Ukraine, acknowledging that it was unclear whether Putin was ready to make a deal. Rubio defended the decision to stop offensive cyber operations, arguing that antagonistic behavior would not bring Russia to the table.

The order from Hegseth was first reported by The Record, a cybersecurity publication from Recorded Future. The Pentagon and US Cyber Command declined to comment on the record, but a senior defense official stated that Hegseth had “no greater priority” than the safety of military members, including in cyber operations.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the move, stating that Trump appeared to be giving Putin “a free pass” as Russia continues to launch cyber operations and ransomware attacks against critical American infrastructure.

As the Trump administration prepared to take office, departing Biden administration officials urged Trump’s appointees to keep the pressure on Russia, including by continuing to arm Ukraine and push back on Russian intelligence agencies responsible for aggressive cyber attacks and espionage operations.

During Trump’s first term, US cyber operations against Russia were ramped up, with the National Security Agency creating a “Russia Small Group” after Russian interference in the 2017 election. Trump gave the Cyber Command new authorities to conduct offensive cyber operations without direct presidential approval in a classified document known as National Security Presidential Memorandum 13.

One of those operations involved probing Russia’s electric power grid, likely meant as a warning to Russia not to interfere with crucial US infrastructure. Trump denounced the reporting of this operation as “a virtual act of treason,” but his former aides later said he was concerned the revelation would affect his relationship with Putin.

Related News
U.S. Shutting Down Over 100 Foreign Offices Globally
Netanyahu Rushes to the U.S. to Meet Trump Amid Ongoing War
Greece in Advanced Talks to Acquire Israeli Rocket Systems in Military Modernization Push
Philippines Protests China’s Deployment of ‘Monster Ship’ in EEZ
Barry Keoghan Unsure About Joker Return in The Batman – Part II
US Cancels Funding for Political Stability in Bangladesh
Related Posts
Pakistan Supported Terrorism for the West, Admits Defence Minister
Trump to Propose $100 Billion Arms Deal with Saudi Arabia
UN Chief Urges India and Pakistan to Exercise Restraint
U.S. Secretary of State: Iran Must Abandon Nuclear Program Completely
Jordan Bans Muslim Brotherhood Over Security Concerns
Exchange of Gunfire Between Indian and Pakistani Troops at Kashmir Border
More News

Houthi Strikes on US Aircraft Carrier Escalate Tensions in the Red Sea

Yemen’s Houthi authorities have claimed responsibility for a series of drone and missile strikes targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman on March 16. The attacks, described as retaliation for recent US airstrikes in Yemen, mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Houthis and the United States. Houthi military spokesperson […]

Māori Protest in Parliament Against Controversial Bill to Rewrite Treaty of Waitangi

On Thursday, New Zealand’s Parliament was temporarily suspended after Māori lawmakers staged a powerful protest against a bill that seeks to alter the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi, a key document in the country’s history. During the bill’s first reading, Te Pāti Māori lawmaker Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke stood up, ripped up her copy of the […]

Aero India 2025: Elevating India’s Stature on the Global Aerospace Stage

Aero India 2025 is set to unfold from February 10-14 at the Indian Air Force station in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, marking a significant step in India’s ambition to carve a niche as a global leader in aerospace and defence production. This biennial event, now in its 15th iteration, not only serves as a showcase of technological […]

Bangladesh Summons Indian High Commissioner Over Border Tensions

On January 12, 2025, Bangladesh’s interim government expressed “deep concern” about recent developments along its border with India. The government’s concerns were raised during a meeting between Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin and Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, following statements made by Adviser on Home Affairs Jehangir Alam Chowdhury. Chowdhury had informed the media that […]

Ballistic Missile Attack on Israel

Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen have launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel. Following the missile strike on Sunday, sirens were sounded across Israel to warn residents. However, no immediate casualties or damage have been reported. According to a report by The Times of Israel, missiles were launched from Yemen, prompting sirens to be activated […]

FAO Report Highlights the Global Crisis of Deforestation

Deforestation is one of the most prominent and impactful ways humans are altering natural ecosystems. It stands among the most urgent environmental issues today, not only causing biodiversity loss but also significantly contributing to climate change, with numerous knock-on effects for communities around the globe. The Scale of the Problem According to the Food and […]

Bangladeshi American Diaspora Demands UN Probe into Volker Türk

New York, March 10, 2025 – A coalition of Bangladeshi American community leaders has formally urged the United Nations to investigate and suspend UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, accusing him of exceeding his authority and interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the group alleged […]

U.S. Vice President JD Vance Arrives in India for High-Stakes Trade Talks and Cultural Diplomacy

New Delhi, April 21, 2025 — U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in India today for a four-day official visit aimed at bolstering economic and strategic ties between Washington and New Delhi. Accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, and their three children, the Vice President was welcomed at Palam Airport with a ceremonial guard of […]

India Launches First Space Docking Mission

At the end of the year, India has embarked on a new chapter in space research. On Monday (December 30) at 10 PM, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched its SPADEx mission from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Within 15 minutes of the launch, ISRO’s PSLV-C60 rocket placed two space docking satellites into orbit. Indian […]

Russia Warns Trump Administration Against Resuming Nuclear Testing Amid Hostile Relations

MOSCOW – Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who oversees arms control, cautioned the incoming Trump administration on Friday against resuming nuclear testing, stating that Moscow would keep its options open in response to what he described as Washington’s “extremely hostile” stance. The potential resumption of nuclear testing by the world’s two largest nuclear powers, […]