Trump Expands Cyber Strategy to Involve Private Tech Companies, Prompting Debate Among Experts

US President Donald Trump announced plans to expand the nation's defense against cyber crime by allowing private-sector computer security companies to take action, though industry experts note the strategy is not entirely new. On Wednesday evening, Mr Trump released a notice arguing that the US private technology sector, recognized as the most innovative and technologically advanced, should no longer remain on the sidelines amid rising cyber attacks.

“American businesses’ innovative capabilities have historically been under-utilised in efforts to identify and disrupt criminal networks operating in cyberspace,” the notice stated. It added that partnering with vetted US companies under federal direction and oversight will strengthen the ability to combat transnational criminal threats and predatory schemes targeting American citizens.

This initiative comes during an ongoing US conflict with Iran, whose linked hacking groups have targeted US computer infrastructure. However, Robert Graham, chief executive of Atlanta-based cyber-security firm Errata Security, remained skeptical. Writing on X, he stated that the concept has been discussed under the term ‘hack back’ within the cyber-security community for the past 15 years, and that the White House avoided using controversial terminology.

On his Substack blog, Cybersect, Mr Graham explained that the notice appears to direct law-enforcement agencies to outline permitted actions for the private sector to accelerate response times during hacks. He noted that companies will not be permitted to retain seized assets, such as Bitcoin found on hackers' computers, and that recovered assets will likely go to the government.

Previously, Representative David Schweikert introduced a bill aimed at deputising licensed cyber operators to pursue foreign cyber-criminal enterprises targeting Americans. Last year, another legislative proposal sought to grant the President authority to issue “letters of marque and reprisal” to private companies for fighting cyber crimes.

Discussing the proposed legislation in a February interview with The National, cyber-security software maker Bruce Payne compared it to “bug bounty” programmes, stating that the US would gain increased capability more efficiently. While Representative David Schweikert's bill ultimately did not advance past the committee level, concerns were raised regarding potential international sovereignty violations.

Concluding his analysis, Mr Graham noted that the new notice does not transform firms into modern privateers, as historical privateering allowed pirates to retain a portion of seized assets, a provision absent from the current federal notice.