U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a meeting at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 5, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) — The Pentagon has denied media reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered a halt in offensive cyber operations against Russia, according to a senior defense official.
Hegseth has neither canceled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets and there has been no stand-down order whatsoever from that priority, said the official who was granted anonymity to discuss internal decisions.
The denial came after The Record, a cybersecurity publication, reported that Hegseth had ordered the U.S. Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions. The story was followed by the Washington Post and New York Times that added their own confirmations from unnamed officials.
The reported halt drew angry responses from Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said the Trump administration was giving “a free pass as Russia continues to launch cyber operations and ransomware attacks against critical American infrastructure.”
The reports about the halt said it had occurred before Trump and Zelenskyy openly clashed in the Oval Office on Friday. It was characterized as an effort to get Russia to agree to negotiations on ending the Ukraine conflict.
Asked about the earlier reports on the cessation of operations, the Pentagon declined to comment but said Hegseth has no greater priority than the safety of U.S. troops.
The U.S. Cyber Command oversees 135 “cyber mission force” teams, or its “action arm,” the command says on its website. The units involved in offensive operations are Cyber Combat Mission Teams.
Separately, Trump has ordered a pause to all military assistance to Ukraine until Trump determines the country’s leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to a senior Defense Department official, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
The official said all U.S. military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland.
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