Indy Standard

U.S. Senator Todd Young, along with 11 Republican colleagues from the Senate, has sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump advocating for stronger U.S. offensive cyber capabilities. The letter underscores the need to reestablish deterrence against China following several alleged cyber attacks and espionage campaigns during the previous administration.

The communication details incidents where Chinese actors reportedly infiltrated critical infrastructure systems, conducted surveillance on millions of Americans through compromised telecommunications providers, and breached sensitive U.S. Government systems.

"Mr. President, it is clear that deterrence must be restored in the cyber domain," wrote the senators in their letter to President Trump. "It is unacceptable for China and our other enemies to conduct such brazen cyber-attacks against our government and the American people."

In addition to Senator Young, the letter was signed by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).

The letter criticizes what it describes as a lack of response from the Biden administration to these attacks, citing an incident involving Chinese state-sponsored actors who allegedly hacked into the U.S. Department of the Treasury near the end of Biden's presidency.

Further concerns were raised about an operation named Salt Typhoon, where China-linked entities supposedly infiltrated several U.S. telecommunications companies to gather data on American citizens and political leaders.

The senators emphasized their readiness to support actions that would impose higher costs on adversaries conducting cyber operations against the United States while enhancing America's own defensive and offensive cyber capabilities.