Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered his agency to halt offensive cyber operations against Russia as the White House is attempting to engage the Kremlin in talks to end the war in Ukraine.
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, according to a current official and two former officials briefed on the secret instructions,” The New York Times reports. “The move is apparently part of a broader effort to draw [Russian President Vladimir Putin] into talks on Ukraine and a new relationship with the United States.”
After the invasion of Ukraine, the Joe Biden administration announced a multi-pronged warfare policy to degrade Russia, including arming Ukraine, sanctions, cyber attacks, and seizing Russian assets.
Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has prioritized improving ties with Russia and ending the war in Ukraine. US and Russian officials have agreed to normalize ties and work toward ending the conflict.
The scope of the order is unclear, but it will not apply to the National Security Agency or intelligence collection. Hegseth issued the order before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s heated exchange with Trump in the Oval Office on Friday. Following the meeting, Trump considered cutting all military aid to Ukraine.
The Times notes that Trump’s decision to halt offensive cyber operations is a policy shift. During his first administration, he expanded cyberwarfare.
