POTUS doesn’t believe Iran is behind massive cyberattack in Minnesota
A huge cyberattack in Minnesota targeted 30 water plants, sparking fears that Iran – with whom the U.S. is at war – was behind the operation. President Trump disagrees.
by Summer Lane | July 31, 2026
A massive cyberattack targeting 30 municipal water plants in Minnesota was not the work of Iran, President Donald Trump suggested on Friday.
During a rare Cabinet meeting at Camp David, the president addressed the situation, which happened earlier this week.
“In Minnesota, there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran,” the president said. “I don’t think so. I blame it on Minnesota, because they’re grossly incompetent…and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota.”
Amid suggestions that the cyberattack could have been launched by Iran, the president remarked, “Iran should be so lucky. Iran’s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.”
This week’s cyberattack in Minnesota has puzzled the state’s IT experts. As of Thursday, officials still had not publicly identified the source of the attack, the Associated Press reported.
According to Minnesota IT Services, the cyberattack occurred between Sunday and Monday, and activated the state’s cybersecurity incident response capabilities.
“Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure require a coordinated, whole-of-government response,” said John Israel, MNIT Assistant Commissioner and Minnesota Chief Information Security Officer, in a statement.
He continued, “MNIT is working side by side with our partners to share intelligence, support affected communities, and help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future attacks.”
As of Friday, the culprit behind the water plant attacks had not been identified. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a PSA this week warning that “malicious cyber actors” have been targeting critical infrastructure asset owners and operators.
“Since 27 July 2026, Water and Wastewater Sector (WWS) utility companies in at least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI, and some of that activity degraded water operations,” the PSA stated.
Iran was not identified as a potential malicious actor in the PSA.
Photo: Adobe Stock
