Defense Secretary Hegseth Allegedly Orders U.S. Cyber Command to Halt Russia Operations

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt all planning related to Russia, including offensive digital operations, according to anonymous sources as reported by The Record.

The directive, issued last week, was given to Cyber Command chief Gen. Timothy Haugh and does not extend to the NSA’s intelligence-gathering activities.

The move aligns with White House efforts to normalize relations with Moscow despite Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. President Donald Trump has echoed Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric and clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a recent Washington meeting.

The duration of Hegseth’s order is unclear, but Cyber Command has begun a risk assessment detailing halted missions and ongoing Russian cyber threats. The decision affects personnel dedicated to Russian-focused operations and could weaken U.S. efforts to counter cyber threats, including state-linked Russian hacker groups.

Hegseth’s directive comes as Cyber Command faces staffing challenges for operations against Mexican drug cartels. The Pentagon has not issued an official response.

Earlier on Friday, in an Oval Office meeting the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a heated debate with Donald Trump and members of his team on several issues surrounding the war and role of the U.S. in helping Ukraine.