Photo: AARON SCHWARTZ / AFP / Getty Images
President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about reports linking Iran to recent cyberattacks on over 30 water systems in Minnesota. During a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday (July 31), Trump attributed the blame to Minnesota's "grossly incompetent" administration, specifically targeting Governor Tim Walz. Trump stated, "Iran should be so lucky. Iran's got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota."
These remarks contrast with preliminary assessments by U.S. officials, who suspect Iranian hackers might be behind the attacks. The cyberattacks, which occurred on July 26 and 27, targeted operational technology used by community water utilities, causing disruptions and requiring some systems to switch from automatic to manual operations.
Governor Walz responded to Trump's comments via social media, asserting that Trump is aware of the true source of the attacks and that other states were also affected. Walz criticized the federal government's handling of cybersecurity, specifically pointing to the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The investigation into the cyberattacks is ongoing, and no specific actor has been officially identified. However, a report from the Minnesota Fusion Center suggests alignment with an Iranian-linked cybersabotage campaign. The FBI and other federal agencies have previously warned of Iranian-affiliated hackers targeting U.S. infrastructure, including water systems.
For more details, see the full reports from USA Today, Fox News, and U.S. News.