Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive cyber operations and information operations against Russia, a U.S. official familiar with the matter said.
Hegseth gave the order to the head of the command, Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh, in late February, the official said. It is unclear clear how long the order will last.
A senior U.S. defense official declined to comment on the decision “due to operational security concerns.”
“There is no greater priority to Secretary Hegseth than the safety of the Warfighter in all operations, to include the cyber domain,” the official told NBC News.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is housed in the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that its “mission is to defend against all cyber threats to U.S. Critical Infrastructure, including from Russia. There has been no change in our posture.”
Representatives for U.S. Cyber Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Russian Embassy also did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Hegseth’s order was first reported by The Record.
President Donald Trump has sought to re-establish diplomatic channels with Russia in recent days, including by restoring embassy staffing, as his administration works to quickly end the war in Ukraine. U.S. officials initiated peace talks with Russian negotiators last month in Saudi Arabia.
Trump’s relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hit a standstill Friday after an Oval Office clash between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance. Trump after the meeting chided Zelenskyy for his persistent criticism of Putin.
“He’s got to say I want to make peace,” Trump said before he departed the White House on Friday. “He doesn’t have to stand there and say about ‘Putin this, Putin that,’ all negative things. He’s got to say I want to make peace. I don’t want to fight a war any longer.”
The breakdown of the meeting delayed the signing of an agreement that would have granted the United States a significant ownership stake in Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals, which are used to create a variety of technological products.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Sunday called the administration’s decision to pause offensive cyber operations against Russia a bid by Trump to earn Putin’s favor.
“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,” Schumer said. “It is a critical strategic mistake for Donald Trump to unilaterally disarm against Putin.”
The the Biden administration last year labeled Russia “an enduring global cyber threat,” pointing to the targeting of U.S. government agencies, think tanks, energy and aviation by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
“Moscow views cyber disruptions as a foreign policy lever to shape other countries’ decisions and continuously refines and employs its espionage, influence, and attack capabilities against a variety of targets,” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in its 2024 threat assessment. “Russia maintains its ability to target critical infrastructure, including underwater cables and industrial control systems, in the United States as well as in allied and partner countries.”
The U.S. intelligence assessment said Russia continues to pose a global cyber threat “even as it prioritizes cyber operations for the Ukrainian war.”
Microsoft said in November that Russia had recently intensified its cyber operations, primarily targeting Ukraine and NATO countries.
“Russian threat actors have focused on accessing and stealing intelligence from Ukrainian warfighters and the international partners that supply them weapons. The techniques employed have the potential to cause unintended damage by posing risk to computer networks globally,” the company noted its 2024 digital defense report.
The report also highlighted Russian cyber operations aimed at influencing the 2024 presidential election, an effort that resulted in sanctions by the Biden administration.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
