Democracy Dies in Darkness

White House authorizes ‘offensive cyber operations’ to deter foreign adversaries

September 20, 2018 at 7:18 p.m. EDT
“Our hands are not tied as they were in the Obama administration,” said national security adviser John Bolton, shown after a meeting last month with his Russian counterpart at the U.S. Mission in Geneva. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

The White House has “authorized offensive cyber operations” against U.S. adversaries, in line with a new policy that eases the rules on the use of digital weapons to protect the nation, national security adviser John Bolton said Thursday.

“Our hands are not tied as they were in the Obama administration,” Bolton said during a news briefing to unveil a new national cyber strategy.