Prioritize cyber defenses against escalating Russian cyber threats

The Defense Secretary's order to halt all cyber planning and operations against Russia constitutes a brazen dereliction of duty that jeopardizes our national security. Elected officials have a solemn obligation to defend our republic against foreign threats, digital or otherwise. By willfully disarming our cyber defenses, this administration is enabling Russia's malign activities on the internet and emboldening Moscow's assault on American interests. The Kremlin's intelligence agencies and criminal proxies have relentlessly targeted our critical systems with cyberattacks and espionage campaigns. Rendering our cyber forces impotent leaves the nation vulnerable to crippling disruptions while removing a crucial deterrent against further aggression. Moreover, this craven directive betrays our commitment to Ukraine by abandoning efforts to fortify their networks against Russian cyberattacks waged in conjunction with the illegal invasion. Our republic faces an existential danger from authoritarian foes like Russia who are waging hybrid warfare across all domains, including cyberspace. Abdicating our cyber capabilities amounts to unilateral disarmament that hands our adversaries an asymmetric advantage. Subverting our national defenses to appease a hostile power represents a violation of the sworn duty to protect and defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.