China-linked hackers managed to infiltrate America’s telecommunications surveillance networks for an astonishing 18 months, and the scale of the damage is just starting to come into focus. This wasn’t just any run-of-the-mill cyberattack—it was a blatant, calculated assault on the heart of U.S. national security, reportedly executed by Salt Typhoon, a hacking group tied to Chinese intelligence. The Wall Street Journal’s revelation that over a million individuals were affected, including phone lines tied to prominent officials like President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, underscores the audacity of this breach.
This hack, described by one senator as the “worst telecom hack in our nation’s history,” penetrated systems at companies like Verizon and AT&T and even networks used for court-ordered surveillance. These are networks designed to protect Americans, not serve as a treasure trove for foreign adversaries. Yet for 18 months, Salt Typhoon looted data, siphoning off IP addresses, phone numbers, and other sensitive information—and then cleverly masked their tracks to stay undetected. It’s like they took a master class in cloak-and-dagger cyber espionage.
What makes this attack even more infuriating is how preventable it might have been. These hackers reportedly exploited outdated telecom equipment, a vulnerability that’s been flagged repeatedly but largely ignored. This breach is a wake-up call, or at least it should be. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) aptly called it “breathtaking” in its scope, lamenting how exposed America’s infrastructure remains.
Of course, the Chinese government denies any involvement. Their spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, had the nerve to accuse the U.S. of “creating typhoons” to smear China. It’s a classic case of gaslighting on a global scale. Meanwhile, AT&T and Verizon are scrambling to clean up the mess, with both companies claiming that they’ve contained the breach—though national security experts are less optimistic. Some experts warn that the hackers’ techniques were so advanced that there’s no guarantee they’ve been completely rooted out.
What’s clear is that this isn’t just about stealing trade secrets anymore. The Chinese Communist Party has leveled up its cyberwarfare game to target America’s critical infrastructure. Just last fall, Chinese-backed hackers breached systems that control power grids and ports, showcasing their capability to disrupt daily life on a massive scale.
While some officials have started using encrypted apps like Signal to secure communications, this is a Band-Aid on a much deeper wound. The Biden administration’s lackluster response to this growing threat is telling. It’s almost as if they’re more focused on appeasing their climate change donors and identity politics cheerleaders than fortifying our national defenses.
This breach is yet another glaring example of what happens when America’s priorities are misaligned. Instead of coddling foreign adversaries with soft diplomacy, it’s time to bring back the tough, America-first policies that protect our sovereignty and security. When Trump takes office, you can bet that the focus will shift to holding bad actors accountable and strengthening our defenses. The Democrats might be busy dreaming up the next woke hashtag, but real leadership means putting America first. And no one’s better at that than Trump.
