Hegseth briefly paused cyber ops against Russia as part of negotiations, GOP Rep. Bacon says
U.S. Cyber Command paused offensive operations aimed at Russia for a day earlier this year as a negotiating tactic, House Armed Services Committee cyber subcommittee Chair Don Bacon (R-Neb.) confirmed Friday.
During a subcommittee hearing on the Pentagon's cyber posture, Bacon referenced reports that emerged in late February suggesting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had directed Cyber Command to stand down from planning on all matters regarding Russia, including offensive actions.
The report sparked confusion and fury among Democratic lawmakers and European leaders, who viewed the move as a capitulation toward Russia during a time of tense negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The Pentagon at the time denied that any stand-down order was made.
'I dug into this whole matter,' Bacon said. 'There was a one-day pause, which is typical for negotiations, that's about as much as I can say, a one-day pause.'
While Bacon did not elaborate on the negotiations, the pause likely happened around the time Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting the White House to negotiate a minerals deal with President Donald Trump — a deal that fell through after a contentious Oval Office meeting.
Spokespersons for both the Pentagon and Cyber Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Bacon's claim.
The Department of Defense Rapid Response account tweeted in early March that Hegseth had 'neither canceled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets and there has been no stand down order whatsoever from that priority.'
Subcommittee member Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) pointed to this tweet during the hearing Friday, saying that in light of Bacon's comments, it was 'an outright lie.'
'That is not what the American people deserve, and that will be something I intend to follow up with the secretary when he actually shows up,' Vindman said.
Bacon has emerged as a vocal critic of Hegseth, pushing back on the Pentagon chief's use of encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive military strikes in Yemen and calling for his dismissal last month.
Bacon on Friday slammed Hegseth for the recent firing of Gen. Timothy Haugh, who ran both Cyber Command and the National Security Agency before being abruptly let go, reportedly due to allegations made against Haugh to Trump by far-right activist Laura Loomer.
'When the secretary of defense comes to the Armed Services Committee, he will have to answer for this,' Bacon said in reference to Haugh's dismissal.
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