The Biden administration confirmed this week that major U.S. telecommunications companies, including AT&T and Verizon, were the targets of a massive cyberattack linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Dubbed the “Salt Typhoon” campaign, the hack reportedly gave CCP-backed operatives access to sensitive networks for months—another glaring example of Beijing’s unchecked cyber aggression against America.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and deputy Anne Neuberger hosted telecommunications executives to discuss hardening defenses. Their statement, however, felt like the usual bureaucratic word salad: “The meeting was an opportunity to hear from telecommunications sector executives on how the U.S. Government can partner with and support the private sector.” Translation? Too little, too late.
The CCP’s assault is no ordinary hacking operation. Officials have labeled it part of a “broad and significant cyber espionage campaign.” The FBI and CISA warned earlier this month that the CCP targets individual private entities in the U.S., stealing customer call records, private communications, and even sensitive legal evidence. These attacks are not about gathering data—they’re about control and prepositioning for potential conflicts.
Vice President-elect JD Vance, speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, revealed that his phone had been breached by Chinese hackers. He even suggested President-elect Donald Trump’s phone might have been compromised as part of the same “Salt Typhoon” campaign. Meanwhile, CCP-backed operations like “Volt Typhoon” and “Flax Typhoon” target critical infrastructure, from energy grids to water systems, with the goal of positioning China to disrupt the West when it suits them.
For years, intelligence officials have warned about Beijing’s hybrid warfare, which goes beyond traditional espionage. Yet, Democrats and their corporate media allies are more interested in TikTok dances than holding China accountable. Perhaps they’re too busy catering to corporate interests invested in the CCP’s market.
America faces an existential threat from the CCP’s cyber warfare, but the Biden administration seems more focused on appeasement than action. Under the incoming Trump administration, the gloves must come off. From decoupling economically to strengthening cybersecurity, it’s time to stop playing defense and take the fight to Beijing. The CCP only respects strength, and that’s what the U.S. must deliver—before it’s too late.
