Last week, The Record reported that Donald Trump’s new Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, had made the abrupt decision to pause all of the U.S. Cyber Command’s offensive cyber operations against Russia. A sudden departure from what has long been the U.S.’s posture towards its geopolitical foe, the decision has inspired a wave of backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle, many of whom don’t seem to know what to make of the decision.
Mike Turner (R-Ohio), who is the senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, seemed caught off guard when he was asked about the decision on Face the Nation on Sunday. “I’m unaware of that. I don’t believe—there are too many, I’m certain, considerations there for that to be an accurate statement so blanket,” Turner said.
“But they have ordered Cyber Command to halt cyber operations,” host Margaret Brennan countered.
Turner cut her off: “Considering what I know, what Russia is currently doing against the United States, that would I’m certain not be an accurate statement of the current status of the Unites States operations.” CNN and other outlets have since confirmed the reports with government sources, but at this point no one has gone on the record.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida) also seemed thrown off when he was asked about the decision on Fox News. “I’m sorry, who’s doing that?” Gimenez stammered. “I don’t know why he’s doing that,” he said. “The Russians are attacking us every single day, the Chinese are attacking us every single day; I don’t think you signal to the Russians that, hey, we’re gonna unilaterally withdraw from this space. If they can keep attacking us, and they do every single day, they should be fearful of our capacity to inflict damage on them. So I really don’t understand where that’s coming from.”
BREAKING: GOP Rep. Carlos Gimenez is stunned live on Fox about the Trump admin stopping all offensive cyber against Russia. “I don’t know why he’s doing that” — adding that they are still constantly attacking us. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/gkJsQaf9yt
— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) March 3, 2025
Democrats were even more vociferous in their criticism of the bizarre policy decision. “This one-sided halt in cyber operations seems like a half-baked blunder—blinding intel, blocking deterrence, diminishing key capabilities exactly when most needed, & emboldening Russians to heighten spying & sabotage,” Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) wrote on X over the weekend. “All without any explanation or strategy. More apparent groveling to Putin.”
“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,” wrote Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) on Sunday. “It is a critical strategic mistake for Donald Trump to unilaterally disarm against Putin.”
“The Russians use cyber warfare against us all the time,” said Senator Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) on X. “Why would we stand down from planning offensive operations, as has been reported here? Capitulation to Russia is stupid but worse than that it is dangerous.”
“This is insane,” wrote former UN Ambassador Susan Rice. “UNILATERAL DISARMAMENT while Russia continues constant offensive cyber attacks on USA. Appeasement of Putin seems to have no bounds.”
Even political leaders not located in the U.S. have expressed confusion and concern for the policy shift. “I have a bit of trouble understanding” America’s new posture towards Russia, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot recently told a French radio station. Barrot noted that EU countries are “constantly the targets” of cyberattacks by Russia.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton shared news of the stand down order on X, summing the situation up thusly: “Wouldn’t want to hurt Putin’s feelings,” the former Secretary of State said.
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