Update: America's Cyber Surrender

Questions Remain About U.S. Cyber Command's Russia Stand-Down Despite Official Denials

Since my initial reporting on changes to U.S. cyber operations regarding Russia, additional context has emerged that complicates this developing story.

Cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter has raised important questions about the various reports, noting that while The Washington Post confirmed offensive operations against Russia have been halted, government denials regarding changes at CISA should be viewed skeptically. As Zetter points out, calling news stories "fake" is a common tactic for the Trump administration when addressing mainstream media reporting, and such denials cannot be taken at face value.

While former Cyber Command deputy commander Lt. Gen. Charlie "Tuna" Moore told the Post that pausing operations during negotiations is "fairly common," this explanation conveniently aligns with the administration's desired narrative. The administration's claim that planning activities continue despite the operational pause remains unverified by independent sources.

Regarding CISA's alleged shift away from monitoring Russian threats, the agency has publicly denied any change in posture. However, as Zetter notes, multiple sources have provided contradictory information about the existence of the directive memo reported by The Guardian—with one CISA employee claiming to Zetter it doesn't exist, while another insists it does. This conflict underscores the challenge of obtaining accurate information from within agencies that may be under political pressure to present a specific narrative.

Even if the operational pause is indeed temporary as officials claim, cybersecurity experts such as myself continue to express serious concerns about diminished vigilance toward Russian cyber threats. The administration's clear pattern of softening its stance on Russia across multiple domains suggests these changes could represent more than standard diplomatic procedure.

I will continue to investigate this situation independently and urge you to recognize that official statements may not reflect the full reality of what is truly occurring within these agencies.