Trump blames Minnesota for water system attack, calls state ‘grossly incompetent’

Minnesota's water systems recently came under a cyberattack, with US officials reportedly suspecting that the operation was carried out by Iran. However, US President Donald Trump disagrees. According to a report by news agency Reuters, while speaking to reporters at Camp David, Trump dismissed the suggestion that Tehran was responsible for the attacks.During a Cabinet meeting,Trump said, “We heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran. I don't think so.” He then added, "I think I blame it on Minnesota because they're grossly incompetent," referring to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is a Democrat. It's important to note that Trump did not reveal who he believed was actually responsible for the cyberattacks.Responding to Trump’s remarks, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz shared a post on X saying, "Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack, and knows that other states were hit too."Walz also criticised Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), writing that it "took an axe to CISA and left the US exposed to cyberattacks," while thanking cybersecurity experts in Minnesota for identifying the vulnerability and helping local communities contain the incident.Donald Trump's remarks differ from reports citing investigatorsAccording to the Reuters report, Trump's comments differ from information cited by Wired, which reported that a memo from the Minnesota Fusion Center said the July 26 and 27 cyberattacks were "aligned" with an allegedly Iran-linked cyber sabotage campaign.The New York Times, citing unnamed US and state officials, also reported that investigators believed the attacks were probably carried out by Tehran. However, the report noted that no federal or state agency has formally attributed responsibility for the attacks.Federal agencies continue investigationThe Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) told Reuters earlier this week that it is coordinating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other government and industry partners to determine the scope of the attacks and provide support.Separately, the FBI said it had received reports of similar cyber incidents affecting water facilities in at least seven US states since July 27. According to an advisory issued by the bureau, some of the attacks have "degraded water operations."This week, the FBI said that it is aware of public reporting about the incidents and is working with partner agencies to protect critical infrastructure."…we remain well-equipped to protect against cyber threats of all varieties," the agency said in a statement.Cybersecurity experts point to similarities with earlier attacksAs per the report, cybersecurity experts and Minnesota's state IT agency said the attacks share characteristics with hacking activity targeting water infrastructure that seven US government agencies, which include the FBI, NSA, EPA and CISA, linked to Iranian-affiliated hackers in a July 22 advisory.The advisory warned that hackers associated with Iran had targeted critical water facility equipment, although officials have not formally connected the Minnesota incidents to those earlier attacks.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.