On July 31, Trump tacitly defended wartime enemy Iran by, without evidence, blaming the state of Minnesota for hacks against its water utilities.
“I blame it on Minnesota because they are grossly incompetent,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, adding that Walz is “corrupt” and “Iran has bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.” Asked later if he could rule out Iranian responsibility, Trump said, “ I don’t think there was an Iranian cyberattack. I think Minnesota ought to get its act together.”
Politico
Trump stated this despite the preponderance of evidence that Iran is responsible for the hacks. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a report detailing similar attacks, linking them to Iran. “Federal, state, and water industry officials” believe Iran to be the culprit. Iranian hackers themselves boasted of targeting water systems in California. A hacking group known as CyberAv3ngers, in 2023, hacked water systems; this group is connected with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Thirty Minnesotan community water systems have come under attack. Eleven other states reported similar attacks. Iranian operatives will be emboldened to know that the President of the United States is on their side.
Mildred Gillars, more popularly known as “Axis Sally,” was convicted of treason for aiding wartime enemies via the transmission of propaganda. Trump has clearly committed a similar offense, albeit against a legally informal enemy, as Trump went to war with Iran without Congressional approval, which is illegal.
