The White House backs down from blaming Russia for the AP: SolarWind cyberattack

• The White House was due to issue a statement blaming Russia for the devastating cyber attack on the US government when officials were asked to step down, The Associated Press reported.
• It is not known why the statement was canceled.
• In a tweet, Trump said that China, not Russia, might be responsible, contradicting his secretary of state and senior US officials.
• Trump has always refused to blame or confront Russia for its aggressive behavior toward the United States unleashed by the Kremlin.
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White House officials were preparing to release a statement on Friday saying that Russia was likely to bear responsibility for the devastating cyber attack that saw hackers take control of hundreds of US government computer networks but were asked to step down at the last minute. The Associated Press reported.

According to a US government official briefed on the talks, the statement would have described Russia as the “main actor” behind the cyber attack.

He would have reversed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement on Friday, Who said in an interview with Mark Levin That “we can clearly say that the Russians participated in this activity.”

Instead, the White House statement was canceled, and Trump broke his silence on the issue. Without citing any evidence, Trump claimed in a tweet that China, not Russia, was most likely behind the cyberattack.

“The cyber breach is much bigger in the fake media than it is in reality,” Trump wrote on Twitter. He also claimed that the media was “afraid” of “discussing the possibility that it is China (maybe!)”.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Throughout his presidency, Trump belittled or sought to shift the blame for Russia in response to the hostilities against the United States.

In July, it was revealed that Trump had taken no action upon learning of this Russia was paying militants in Afghanistan a reward for killing US forces.

The president has consistently refused to categorically accept evidence from US intelligence agencies that Russia is responsible for attempts to interfere in US elections, including the 2016 election.

The cyber attack was first reported last week, when it was revealed For months, Russian hackers gained access to sensitive information in the US government Agencies, including the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security.

Hackers gained access to the computers by infiltrating SolarWinds, which then installed malware in routine updates to hundreds of US government and corporate clients.

Former Trump Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert In an opinion piece in the New York Times He warned that Russian hackers have likely taken over hundreds of US government networks, and could change or delete key data. Trump urged a confrontation with Russia over the attack.

Elected President Joe Biden has pledged To take action in response to a cyber attack when he takes office.

“Our opponents must know that I, as president, will not stand idly by in the face of cyber attacks on our nation,” he said.