US slams ‘smear campaign' as pro-Iran hackers threaten to release Trump material
The US warned of continued Iranian cyberattacks after American strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities and the threats they could pose to services, economic systems and companies.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the threat to expose emails about the president is 'nothing more than digital propaganda' meant to damage Mr Trump and other federal officials.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is among the figures whose emails are reported to be involved (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
'A hostile foreign adversary is threatening to illegally exploit purportedly stolen and unverified material in an effort to distract, discredit and divide,' CISA spokeswoman Marci McCarthy wrote in a social media post.
'These criminals will be found, and they will be brought to justice.'
Reuters reported that it contacted the alleged hackers online, and they told the news organisation that they had a large cache of emails from Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles, other senior advisers and porn actress Stormy Daniels, to whom a hush money payment led to Mr Trump's criminal conviction.
Federal prosecutors charged three Iranians last year on allegations of hacking into Mr Trump's presidential campaign. Hackers also targeted the campaign of Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and unsuccessfully tried to leak material supposedly taken from Mr Trump to Democrats and members of the media.
Stormy Daniels (Alamy/PA)
The threat to release more hacked emails was reported on the day that CISA, the FBI and the National Security Agency issued a public bulletin warning that hacking groups supportive of Tehran may attack US interests despite a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
The hackers, authorities warned, could seek to disrupt or disable critical infrastructure systems such as utilities, transportation and economic hubs. They also could target defence contractors or other American companies with ties to Israel, the agencies said.
The bulletin outlined recommendations, including the use of regular software updates and strong password management systems to shore up digital defences.
Hackers backing Tehran have targeted US banks, defence contractors and energy companies after American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, but so far have not caused widespread disruptions.
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Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
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RTÉ News
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Austerity budgets are a gift to populists
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A protester burns a police car during a demonstration by soccer fans and retirees demanding higher pensions and opposing austerity measures implemented by Javier Milei's government in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in March Picture: AP/Rodrigo Abd But history suggests the Democratic Party may soon lose sight of the strategic character of such ideological alliances and end up playing an unfortunate role in a twisted morality play authored by the right. Since Ronald Reagan, every Republican president has dramatically increased the deficit through tax cuts and military spending. By contrast, Democratic administrations have done the work of reining in the country's growing debt, largely by slashing public investment and weakening the social safety net. Lawrence H Summers, who served as treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton, was convinced the economic revival of the 1990s was due to Clinton's commitment to balancing the budget. 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Former British prime minister Liz Truss learned that the hard way in 2022, when her government's mini-budget triggered a sharp rise in borrowing costs, leading to the swift demise of her premiership. But Trump is not heading for a Truss-like incident. The dollar is far more critical to the world economy than the pound. And the US Federal Reserve's commitment to ensuring the liquidity of the Treasury market, in concert with foreign central banks and treasuries, bolsters the greenback's too-big-to-fail status. The recent decision by Moody's to downgrade the US sovereign credit rating was significant. If unrestricted borrowing, coupled with endless tariff uncertainty, fuels inflation and slows growth, more downgrades will follow, making it more expensive for the US government to finance its debts. The fact so many prominent Republicans are objecting to Trump's spending bill reflects the hollow ideological core Maga shares with other right-wing populist movements. Picture: AP /Manuel Balce Ceneta Although this would have adverse consequences for America, it doesn't represent an existential threat, which means Democrats' calls for fiscal rectitude will not gain traction among Republicans. The party's resolve to rebalance the books will, however, influence intraparty debate. Leaders of the Democratic establishment such as Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Rahm Emanuel would fall over one another to reprise the Obama years. But that era's institutionalisation of the bailout state and prolonged fiscal austerity would push the country into another recession — providing fertile ground for popular discontent and further political polarisation. The US is not alone, of course. Across Europe and elsewhere, governments' embrace of socialism for the rich and austerity for everyone else has fuelled the rise of Maga-like populist movements. But the fact so many prominent Republicans are objecting to Trump's spending bill reflects the hollow ideological core Maga shares with other right-wing populist movements. A motley collection of intense grievances does not easily translate into a coherent economic strategy. Instead, the Democratic Party should focus on building a progressive economic policy platform that can mobilise electoral support. Bidenomics was a good but imperfect start, not a mistake to be regretted. The Democrats — and democrats worldwide — must offer a more appealing vision of the expansive use of the public purse. Otherwise, they may not get their hands back on the levers of fiscal policy for some time to come. Martijn Konings is professor of Political Economy and Social Theory at the University of Sydney and the author, most recently, of 'The Bailout State: Why Governments Rescue Banks, Not People' (Polity, 2025). Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2025.
