Hoosier State Today

U.S. Senator Todd Young, along with 11 Senate Republican colleagues, has sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump, advocating for enhanced U.S. offensive cyber capabilities. The letter expresses strong support for the President's "peace through strength" agenda and emphasizes the necessity of reestablishing deterrence against China.

The senators' letter details various cyber attacks and espionage activities allegedly backed by China during the Biden administration. These incidents reportedly involved Chinese actors infiltrating critical infrastructure systems, spying on millions of Americans—including President Trump—through compromised telecommunications providers, and hacking into sensitive U.S. government systems.

"Mr. President, it is clear that deterrence must be restored in the cyber domain," the senators wrote. They urged decisive action to secure America's networks from threats posed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) and expressed readiness to support measures that impose higher costs on adversaries attacking in the cyber domain.

Senator Young was joined by Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Roger Wicker, Marsha Blackburn, Bill Hagerty, Kevin Cramer, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Pete Ricketts, Tommy Tuberville, Thom Tillis, Dave McCormick, and Jim Justice in signing the letter.

The letter further congratulates President Trump on his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States and outlines a series of cyber attacks attributed to China over recent years. Notably mentioned is an incident involving Chinese state-sponsored actors compromising systems within the U.S. Department of the Treasury at the end of Biden's presidency.

Other cited attacks include China's infiltration of several U.S. telecommunications companies through an operation known as Salt Typhoon and breaches within systems at both the Department of Commerce and State Department. The letter criticizes what it describes as a lackluster response from the previous administration to these security breaches.

In closing their appeal for stronger cybersecurity measures, the senators reaffirm their commitment to working with President Trump in bolstering national security through improved cyber defenses and increased offensive capabilities.