President Donald Trump on Friday rejected reports that Iran was likely behind the recent cyberattack on more than 30 Minnesota water systems, instead placing responsibility squarely on Minnesota officials and sharply criticizing Gov. Tim Walz.

Speaking at the opening of a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump addressed the cyberattack that disrupted water facilities across the state and dismissed claims that Tehran was responsible.

“I just want to mention that we heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran,” he said.

Trump argued that the real problem was Minnesota’s leadership rather than a foreign adversary.

“I don’t think so. I think I blame it on Minnesota because they’re grossly incompetent,” Trump said. “There was a cyberattack of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota. They like to say, oh, is Iran? Iran should be so lucky. Iran’s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.”

The president’s comments contradict preliminary findings reportedly shared by federal and state officials, who have indicated that Iranian hackers are the leading suspects. Security experts have also noted that Iranian cyber operations have previously succeeded by exploiting poorly protected internet-connected equipment at American water facilities, including systems secured with default or nonexistent passwords.

Walz fired back on X, accusing Trump of ignoring the available intelligence.

“Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack, and knows that other states were hit too. This is what modern warfare looks like, and it further illustrates there’s no plan to win a war with Iran.”

Trump has frequently criticized Walz since the 2024 campaign, repeatedly accusing the Minnesota governor of overseeing widespread fraud within the state’s publicly administered social services programs.

Walz, who served as the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024, announced in January that he would not seek a third term as governor amid growing criticism over his administration’s handling of those fraud scandals. Although the controversies unfolded during his tenure, Walz has not been accused of personally participating in any fraudulent activity.

Minnesota IT Services said the attack was a coordinated operation that struck operational technology at more than 30 community water systems over the course of Sunday and Monday. State health officials emphasized that there is no indication residents need to alter their drinking water use, saying the Minnesota Department of Health is “not aware of any active requests from Minnesota cities to have their residents modify their drinking water usage.”

According to The New York Times, U.S. and Minnesota officials familiar with the ongoing investigation believe Iranian hackers were likely responsible for the coordinated attack.

Even so, Minnesota IT Services cautioned that investigators have not yet conclusively identified the culprit, saying officials have not determined whether a “specific actor” carried out the cyberattack and that the investigation remains ongoing.

The cyber intrusion temporarily disrupted automated operations in several municipalities. In Braham, malicious software disabled controls at the community’s well and water treatment plant, while Plymouth and South St. Paul switched portions of their systems to manual operation. Officials said there was no evidence that drinking water safety had been compromised.

Just days before the Minnesota incident, federal cybersecurity agencies warned that hackers linked to Iran were actively targeting the computerized control systems used by water utilities, power infrastructure, and local governments. The agencies said similar attacks had already interrupted operations at some facilities and caused financial damage, concluding that the campaign appeared designed to create disruption inside the United States.

Iranian cyber groups have previously targeted American water infrastructure.

In 2023, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, hackers connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps infiltrated programmable controllers at several U.S. water and wastewater facilities.

Those attacks generally succeeded because the targeted equipment was exposed to the internet and protected by default passwords—or no passwords at all. Although some utilities temporarily moved operations offline, officials said no public drinking water supplies were contaminated.

Federal prosecutors have also pursued Iranian hackers in earlier cases. In one incident dating back to 2013, the Justice Department charged an Iranian hacker with repeatedly accessing the control system of a small dam in Rye, New York. Prosecutors said the intrusion could have allowed him to remotely operate the dam’s sluice gate, but the gate had already been disconnected manually for maintenance, preventing any damage.

{Matzav.com}