Trump blames 'incompetence', not Iran, for Minnesota water system hack

President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed claims that a recent cyber attack on Minnesota's water systems originated from Iran, instead accusing state officials of "grossly incompetence." This contradicts findings by federal investigators who traced the breach to Iranian-linked hackers. The incident follows reports by The New York Times that multiple sites in Minnesota's Midwest region were targeted by a cyberattack believed to originate from Iran. While the state's water infrastructure has not yet suffered direct damage, both local and federal authorities continue their investigations into the breach. Trump, a frequent critic of Minnesota's Democratic leadership, including Governor Tim Walz, took to the podium to challenge the narrative. "We heard in Minnesota there was a cyber attack, and they blame it on Iran," he stated. "I don’t think so, I think I blame it on Minnesota because they’re grossly incompetent." Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, representing Minnesota, responded by requesting a briefing from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). She emphasized her efforts to ensure state officials had the necessary resources to address the situation. "Protecting our critical infrastructure and the safety of Minnesotans remains a top priority," she said. CISA issued a warning on Thursday regarding the rising threat of cyberattacks targeting critical U.S. digital systems. The agency noted an increase in attempts to compromise programmable logic controllers (PLCs) within water and wastewater sectors. These industrial computers are commonly used by utility companies. CISA urged operators to follow federal guidelines to reduce the risk of such breaches. Since the start of the conflict in February, Iranian-backed hacking groups have launched numerous cyber operations against prominent U.S. targets. In March, the Iran-linked group Handala infiltrated the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel, leaking sensitive communications and images. Around the same time, Handala admitted responsibility for hacking an American medical technology firm, Stryker, causing its devices to malfunction. Earlier this year, the FBI issued warnings about Iran-linked hackers targeting U.S. critical infrastructure. The agency detailed several incidents involving PLCs, noting disruptions in functionality, altered display data, and in some cases, operational failures and financial losses. Officials had raised alarms about Iran's intensified cyber activities as early as 2025. During a discussion at George Washington University’s Programme on Extremism, FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman underscored the dangers posed by such attacks. He explained that using cyber tools to disrupt infrastructure could lead to the destruction of essential national information. "That tends to be a red line," he cautioned.