Former President Donald Trump has asserted that Minnesota's own Democratic leadership is responsible for a cyberattack targeting over 30 of the state's municipal water systems, casting doubt on U.S. intelligence assessments that suggest Iran was likely behind the intrusion.
During a televised Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump directly addressed the incident, stating, "Minnesota is behind it ... because they're grossly incompetent." He specifically named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, his former opponent in the 2024 election, as potentially being involved. "I think the Governor is behind it," Trump said. "I don't think there was an Iranian cyber attack."
This statement comes as several U.S. officials have indicated that American intelligence agencies have assessed Iran as the probable perpetrator of the cyberattack. The FBI is reportedly investigating the incident, which has occurred amidst heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran following Tehran's targeting of U.S. troops in Jordan and subsequent U.S. retaliatory actions.
The Washington Post was the first to report on the intelligence assessments linking Iran to the attack. However, officials cautioned that the attack had not yet been conclusively attributed to any specific actor.
Neither the White House, the FBI, nor the Minnesota Governor's Office immediately responded to requests for comment on the matter.