While White House demands deterrence, Trump shrugs

The report analyzes the gap between former President Trump’s downplaying of foreign cyber activity and the stronger deterrence posture articulated by his senior cyber officials, referencing concerns over groups like Volt Typhoon and broader debates on distinguishing espionage from destructive attacks. Experts weigh the risks of mixed signals for deterrence, note the difficulty of deterring espionage, and highlight a global trend toward greater transparency and assertiveness in cyber operations and attribution by countries including China, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and the United States.