Key lawmaker says pause in offensive cyber operations against Russia lasted one day

The U.S. Defense Department’s halt of offensive cyber operations against Russia lasted one day, according to a senior House lawmaker.

“I actually dug into this whole matter. I just want to address it: It was a one-day pause, which is typical for negotiations,” Rep. Don Bacon, chair of the House Armed Services cyber subcommittee, said Friday during a hearing — referring to the Trump administration’s effort to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“That's just about as much as I can say. It was a one-day pause,” the Nebraska Republican added.

Recorded Future News first reported in February that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered U.S. Cyber Command to cease operations against Russia, a longtime competitor in the digital domain.

Bacon’s comments are the first public detail about Hegseth’s directive. The lawmaker’s position on the Armed Services panel gives him a perch to conduct oversight of the military’s cyber activities and overall posture. 

No official from the Trump administration has acknowledged the order to date. An anonymous DOD “rapid response” social media account denied any kind of direction had been given, days after Recorded Future News and multiple news outlets reported the order’s existence.

“What I would like to do is basically point out that that statement by DOD rapid response was an outright lie,” Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) said after Bacon’s remarks. “It was at least misleading. And that is not what the American people deserve and that will be something that I intend to follow up with the secretary when he actually shows up.”

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the length of the stand-down or Vindman’s accusation.

Laurie Buckhout, who is performing the duties of the assistant secretary of Defense for cyber policy, declined to comment on the matter when asked by Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA).

“I'm afraid that I cannot discuss cyber operational matters in this open forum but we remain committed to countering our global adversaries in cyberspace,” she said. 

“We do have a number of elements on the table,” Buckhout replied when asked if the U.S. should maintain both offensive and defensive cyber options against Moscow.

There was also bipartisan condemnation of the Trump administration’s decision to fire Cyber Command and NSA chief Timothy Haugh at a time when the U.S. faces an array of digital threats.

Bacon, who served with Haugh in the Air Force, called him the “most cyber experienced officer to ever hold” the dual positions.

“Removing him from the cyber battlefield in this way served absolutely no national security interest. All this did was help Russia, China, Iran and North Korea to do what they could not do for themselves,” he said.  

“When the secretary of Defense comes to the Armed Services Committee, you will have to answer for this.”

A U.S. Cyber Command spokesperson declined to comment.