20 March 2026

Trump’s Cyber Strategy Falls Short on China, Iran, and the Threats That Matter Most

Matthew Ferren

Matthew Ferren is an international affairs fellow in national security, sponsored by Janine and J. Tomilson Hill, at the Council on Foreign Relations. His research examines China’s evolving cyber threat, U.S. defense policy, and international cyber cooperation.

The White House’s recently released cyber strategy is strikingly short, with just four pages of substance—roughly one-seventh the length of the Biden administration’s 2023 strategy. National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross has described it as a high-level statement of intent, with action items to come. But the brevity also reflects a fraying cyber apparatus that is, at best, still finding its footing and, at worst, suffering from institutional neglect.

No comments: