U.S. and Russian officials discuss improving ties and ending the Ukraine war

Top diplomats from Russia and the U.S. met Tuesday in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving ties and negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine — talks that reflected a major and rapid change in American foreign policy under President Donald Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says ending Russia’s war in Ukraine will require concessions from all sides and that Europe will be part of the talks.

Russia Ukraine War~LIVE Rubio Leads U.S. Delegation To Saudi Arabia For Talks With Moscow & Trump

 

Marco Rubio arrives in Saudi Arabia for Russia peace talks

Watch live as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Saudi Arabia. It comes after Rubio met with top Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Sunday as he started a tour of the Middle East which will likely see him face pushback from Arab leaders over Donald Trump's plan to "take over" and redevelop Gaza.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to lead a delegation of U.S. officials to Saudi Arabia this week for peace talks with Russian officials to seek an end to the war in Ukraine. White House national security advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff are also expected to take part in discussions. According to a report from Axios, the meetings are slated to begin Tuesday. This comes after last week's call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in which Trump said they “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately.” National security analyst Hal Kempfer joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss.

This U.S. Nuclear Submarine Will Change EVERYTHING – Here is Why!

This US Nuclear Submarine Will Change EVERYTHING - Here is Why! Deep beneath the ocean’s surface, an invisible specter glides silently, leaving no trace. This is the Virginia-class submarine, a marvel of military technology with the power to change the course of war in an instant. Can you imagine a weapon capable of attacking an entire fleet without anyone ever knowing? With the ability to operate for months without surfacing, this submarine is not just a mobile fortress but a hidden ace beneath the waves. Amid tensions in the South China Sea and the looming threat of conflict over Taiwan, could the Virginia-class submarine be America’s strategic weapon in a showdown with superpowers like China and Russia? Join Navy Power in uncovering the secrets behind its formidable strength. From the very beginning, the Virginia-class submarine was designed with a clear goal: cost efficiency without compromising cutting-edge advancements. Only two shipyards in the United States, General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries, possess the expertise to construct nuclear-powered submarines.

Judge Pauses Plan to Put USAID Workers on Leave; Trump Aims to Cut U.S. Trade Deficit With Japan

With just hours to go before thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees were to be placed on administrative leave, a federal judge put the plan on hold. President Donald Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House. What did the two leaders announce, and what new executive orders did Trump sign Friday? From trade talks to tariffs, we explore the latest developments surrounding the United States, Japan, and China with Dennis Wilder, professor of Asian studies at Georgetown University. A Chinese AI chatbot that shocked Silicon Valley is now making waves on Capitol Hill. What's prompting the serious concerns being raised over data privacy and national security? With lawmakers seeking to ban AI bot DeepSee over its ties to China, a cybersecurity expert joins us to assess. The Israeli prime minister and other world leaders share their thoughts after Trump issues sanctions against the International Criminal Court.

Trump Admin Reveals The Millions Of Dollars Sent By U.S. Federal Agencies To Left-wing ‘Politico’ Outlet

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 19: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. SpaceX’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk, a Trump confidante, has been tapped to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency alongside former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:54 PM – Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, revealed that the federal government has been subsidizing the left-wing outlet Politico — to the tune of $8.2 million.

Politico was acquired in 2021 by Axel Springer SE, a German news publisher and media company.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that the federal government was “essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the taxpayer’s dime.”

“The DOGE is working on cancelling those payments now,” she continued. “This is a government effort to ensure that we are going line by line when it comes to the federal government’s books. And this President and his team are making decisions across the board on [whether or not these] receipts serve the interests of the American people.”

 

The outlet received at least $44,000 from USAID last year as well, though it was also given millions from various federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services — which provided $1.37 million.

In addition, $1.35 million was paid out by the Department of the Interior, according to the USASPENDING website.

Meanwhile, social media users on Politico‘s official Instagram page and on X responded to the news.

“Not just a waste, but they’ve essentially been getting paid by Democrats to feed the American people endless lies, misinformation and propaganda. If you’re wondering why the media always gives the Biden admin a pass, deflected, ran cover for and loves democrats, this is why,” said one user on X.

 

 

According to PoliticoAP News has been accused of raking in U.S. taxpayer money as well. However, this has not yet been confirmed.

Trump and Musk have recently vowed to cut funds from USAID, a $40 billion agency that has been accused of money laundering, working in tandem with Democrat officials, their allies, and other connected organizations.

Much of the U.S. federal funds were spent on Politico Pro, which costs around $10,000 per year, offering “non-partisan, real-time intelligence personalized to their area of policy focus.”

“POLITICO Pro is an all-inclusive platform that empowers public policy professionals with the tools, news, analysis, and other resources needed to succeed in an increasingly complex political world. Our features include exclusive and unbiased policy news coverage in real-time, in-depth policy analysis and a suite of tracking tools to help you keep tabs on policy developments as they happen…” the website states.

Musk quickly responded to the report, declaring that the U.S. government will no longer be supplying the outlet with federal funding any longer.

“This is obviously a huge waste of taxpayer money!” Musk wrote in an X post.

Politico has notably been an anti-Trump outlet throughout his time in office and now, publishing themes related to how the Hunter Biden laptop scandal had all the “hallmarks” of “Russian disinformation,” conveniently siding with the Biden administration. The outlet also recently posted an infographic on its Instagram page titled “Could Trump seize a third term?" – Actually, it’s not out of the question.”

Musk’s latest call to end the funding of Politico is another piece of a larger effort to root out corruption and waste from federal spending, while suggesting that the IRS is next on the list to receive an audit.

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El Salvador Agrees To Accept Deported Migrants Under New U.S. Deal, Including Criminals

Inmates look on as they remain in a cell at the Counter-Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) mega-prison, where hundreds of members of the MS-13 and 18 Street gangs are being held, in Tecoluca, El Salvador on January 27, 2025. The CECOT, the largest prison in Latin America and emblem of the war against gangs of the government of President Nayib Bukele, celebrates two years since it was inaugurated on February 1. (Photo by Marvin RECINOS / AFP) (Photo by MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)
Inmates look on as they remain in a cell at the Counter-Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) mega-prison, where hundreds of members of the MS-13 and 18 Street gangs are being held, in Tecoluca, El Salvador on January 27, 2025. The CECOT, the largest prison in Latin America and emblem of the war against gangs of the government of President Nayib Bukele, celebrates two years since it was inaugurated on February 1. (Photo by MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff James Meyers
10:34 AM – Tuesday, February 4, 2025

El Salvador has agreed to take in violent U.S. criminals who are currently in jails and prisons. They have also agreed to accept deportees of any nationality.

Monday’s announcement came after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele during his visit to the nation. 

Rubio said the Salvadoran president had “agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world.”

The former Florida Senator said that, in addition to taking deportees, El Salvador had “also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentences in the United States, even though they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents.”

He made the announcement when he was visiting El Salvador. He went to the country to help push its government to help meet Trump administration demands for cracking down on immigration. 

“President Bukele agreed to take back all Salvadoran MS-13 gang members who are in the United States unlawfully.”

Additionally, Bukele promised to accept and incarcerate violent illegal immigrants, including members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, but also criminal illegal migrants from any country," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. 

“And in an extraordinary gesture never before extended by any country, President Bukele offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals, including U.S. citizens and legal residents,” Bruce added. 

Bruce called it a “tremendously successful meeting that will make both countries stronger, safer, and more prosperous.”

However, it is unclear whether the U.S. government will take up the offer as there are questions around the legality of such moves. Any effort by the Trump administration to deport incarcerated U.S. nationals to another country would face significant legal pushback.

El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, commonly referred to as CECOT, is the country’s largest and newest prison, with a maximum capacity of 40,000 inmates.

“The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable,” he added.

Additionally, the State Department’s travel advisory for El Salvador also warns that those imprisoned in the country face “harsh” prison conditions and zero access to due process. 

“Overcrowding constitutes a serious threat to prisoners’ health and lives,” the advisory said. “In many facilities, provisions for sanitation, potable water, ventilation, temperature control, and lighting are inadequate or nonexistent.”

Meanwhile, Trump signed an executive order in January specifically naming MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, citing their “campaigns of violence and terror in the United States and internationally” as threats to “the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.”

The order also included a recommendation that the State Department start the process of designating Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization. 

Last Friday, the U.S. special envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone alluded to an agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador, saying Tren de Aragua members “will want to go back to Venezuela rather than having to share a prison with Salvadorean gangs like MS-13. That’s part of what we want to discuss and how President Bukele can help us.”

This comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said they would push ahead with a massive round of border security measures after crisis talks with President Donald Trump on Monday. 

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Zelenskyy Claims Ukraine Only Received $75B Of $177B In U.S. Aid, Doesn’t Know ‘Where All That Money Went’

TOPSHOT - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky poses after an interview for French media including AFP in Rivne on July 30, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.A (Photo by Genya SAVILOV / AFP) (Photo by GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky poses after an interview for French media including AFP in Rivne on July 30, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.A (Photo by Genya SAVILOV / AFP) (Photo by GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Blake Wolf
1:46 PM – Monday, February 3, 2025

In a recent interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy claimed that Kyiv has only received around $75 billion out of the at least $177 billion sent by the Biden administration, prompting even the most vocal Ukraine funding advocates to convey suspicion.

“When I hear — both in the past and even now — from the U.S. that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions, as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you — we’ve received [no] more than $75 billion,” he stated this past weekend in an interview with the Associated Press.

“So, when people talk about $177 billion or even $200 billion, we’ve never received that. We’re talking about tangible things because this aid didn’t come as cash but rather as weapons, which amounted to about U.S. $70 billion,” he continued.

The Ukrainian president went on to add that Kyiv is grateful for the support of the United States “but when it’s said that Ukraine received $200 billion to support the army during the war — that’s not true. I don’t know where all that money went.”

It currently remains unclear as to where the over $100 billion in military aid sent under the Biden administration went, or if Zelenskyy is being honest about not having received the funds.

The White House has yet to respond to Zelenskyy’s claim.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has been working to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

“We have meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia. I think those discussions are going pretty well,” Trump said on Sunday.

Trump’s appointed special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, stated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war is extremely important to “our national security interests.” Nevertheless, he has also noted that Ukraine’s war efforts against Russia have been weakening the Russian military, benefitting American military objectives.

“When you look at the money that the United States has provided, which is over $174 billion, when you look at the alliance that has now formed with Russia, with North Korea, with China and Iran – that wasn’t there before,” he added.

Zelensky recently responded to reports of Trump negotiating the end of the war with Russia while excluding a Ukrainian representative, calling the talks “dangerous.”

“If there will be direct talks between America and Russia without Ukraine, it is very dangerous, I think,” Zelensky stated. “They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us — it is dangerous for everyone.”

Zelensky reiterated that any discussions between Russia and the United States without a Ukrainian representative present would validate Putin’s invasion, subtly warning the Trump administration.

“This will mean that anyone can act like this. And this will be a signal to other leaders of the big countries who think about [doing]… something similar.”

Trump’s special envoy did not reveal how Trump plans on applying pressure to both parties, although he vaguely stated that he will negotiate “something that’ll be significant.”

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Mexico And U.S. Reach Agreement To Suspend Tariffs For A Month And Deploy 10K Troops To The Border

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on February 3, 2025. Sheinbaum said February 3, the US has agreed to pause the start of tariffs on Mexican goods for one month, after talks with her counterpart Donald Trump. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on February 3, 2025. Sheinbaum said February 3, the US has agreed to pause the start of tariffs on Mexican goods for one month, after talks with her counterpart Donald Trump. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff James Meyers
11:05 AM – Monday, February 3, 2025

President Donald Trump and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that they have agreed to a one-month pause on the imposition of a 25% across-the-board tariff by the U.S. in exchange for concessions on border security by Mexico. During this time, a broader deal will be negotiated. 

As part of the temporary pause, Sheinbaum agreed to reinforce the U.S.-Mexico border with 10,000 personnel from her country’s National Guard to help cut down on fentanyl dissemination and illegal immigration into the U.S., per statements from both presidents. 

The U.S. also agreed to increase efforts to prevent the trafficking of weapons, according to the Mexican president, who had a call with Trump earlier in the day on Monday. 

“I  just spoke with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico. It was a very friendly conversation,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “We will have negotiations headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and high-level representatives from Mexico.”

“I look forward to participating in those negotiations with President Sheinbaum as we attempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries.”

The move comes after Trump ordered a 25% levy on Mexican imports after accusing the neighboring country of failing to meet his demands of addressing the fentanyl and migration situations. 

The tariff was set to come in addition to existing tariffs the U.S. has in effect against Mexico, which had been preparing retaliatory measures. 

Meanwhile, Mexico is currently the U.S.’s largest trading partner, with close to 80% of its exports flowing north. Just 165 of U.S. exports go to Mexico, with almost $775 billion worth of goods being traded between the two nations last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau

“We had a good conversation with President Trump, with great respect for our relationship and sovereignty; we reached a series of agreements,” Sheinbaum said in a statement on X, per a translation.

“Our teams will begin working today on two fronts: security and trade,” she added. “They are pausing tariffs for one month from now.”

Additionally, Trump had also ordered a 25% tariff on Canada for fentanyl and the migrant crises and a 10% across-the-board tariff on China. 

However, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled new 25% tariffs on over $106 billion in U.S. goods. 

Canada, China and Mexico are America’s three largest trading partners, totaling almost $1.4 trillion worth of U.S. imports annually. 

In the near future, the Tax Foundation projects that if all three tariffs went into effect that the average U.S. household would see a tax hike of about $830. 

“This will be the golden age of America! Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe (and maybe not!). But we will make America great again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid,” Trump acknowledged on Truth Social Sunday.

The president also hinted at hitting European countries with tariffs over the weekend. 

“The UK, but [the] European Union is really out of line,” Trump told reporters on Sunday night. “UK is out of line but I’m sure that one, I think that one can be worked out. But the European Union, it’s an atrocity what they’ve done.”

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3 More Hostages Released In Cease-Fire Deal, Including U.S.-Israeli Dual Citizen

TOPSHOT - Palestinian militant group Hamas fighters escort Israeli-French hostage Ofer Kalderon before handing him over to a Red Cross team in Khan Yunis on February 1, 2025, as part of fourth hostage-prisoner exchange. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP) (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)
Hamas fighters escort Israeli-French hostage Ofer Kalderon before handing him over to a Red Cross team in Khan Yunis on February 1, 2025, as part of fourth hostage-prisoner exchange. (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)

OAN Staff Sophia Flores
11:51 AM – Saturday, February 1, 2025

The terrorist group Hamas has released three more hostages as part of its current cease-fire deal with Israel. The hostages that returned home during this release included a U.S. – Israeli dual citizen from North Carolina, a father whose children were captured and released in a 2023 ceasefire-hostage deal, and the father of the youngest hostage.

On Saturday, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon were released from Hamas’s hands. Two hours later, U.S.-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel was handed over by Hamas.

“Finally, after 484 long, terrifying days and nights, full of immense worry for our father, we can breathe again,” Siegel’s family said in a statement. “Thank you, President Trump, for bringing our father back to us. There are now 79 hostages who are also waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. Our hope rests with you.”

Siegel, who is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7th, 2023 alongside his wife Aviva. She was released as part of a hostage deal that occurred in November 2023.

His release makes him the first American hostage to be released in the new 42-day truce.

Kalderon, a French-Israeli national, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his daughter and son. His children, Sahar and Erez, were released in the November 2023 hostage swap.

French President Emmanuel Macron took to X to share his relief that Kalderon was home.

“Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his loved ones after 483 days of unimaginable hell,” Macron wrote. “Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalom, still in the hands of Hamas, and with his family. France is doing everything it can to secure his release without delay.”

Bibas was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his wife Shiri and the couple’s young children, Ariel, 5, and Kfir. Kfir was nine months old at the time he was kidnapped.

The fate of his beloved family is unknown. The terrorist group stated that Shiri and their two red-headed children died. However, the terrorist group is known for creating mental warfare by lying about hostage deaths.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has made it known that they have “grave concerns about their well-being.”

Under the current cease-fire agreement, Hamas was to free all female hostages first, followed by men over the age of 50 and those considered ill. There are 33 total hostages set to be released in the first phase of the fragile ceasefire deal. Not all of those released will be alive.

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Rubio: Belarus Releases Imprisoned U.S. Citizen

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks before former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks before former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

OAN Staff Abril Elfi
4:03 PM – Sunday, January 26, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the release of a United States citizen who was imprisoned in Belarus. 

On Sunday, Rubio wrote in a post on X that “Belarus just unilaterally released an innocent American, ANASTASIA Nuzhyfer, who was taken under JOE BIDEN!” crediting President Donald Trump for his leadership.

Rubio also said that Christopher Smith, State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern European and Policy and Regional Affairs, “from our team did a great job on this.” 

No further information has been released on Nuhfer or his release.

On Sunday, Belarus is holding its national presidential election. President Alexander Lukashenko is currently expected to get another term on top of his three decades in power. 

Many of Lukashenko’s opponents are calling the election fake, similar to how it was labeled in 2020, triggering months of protests. According to the Associated Press (AP), the protests led to over 65,000 arrests, with thousands beaten, bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West.

As of right now, Belarus holds approximately 1,300 political prisoners, despite Lukashenko pardoning over 250 people since July.

But in operations against friends and family of political prisoners, officials have arrested hundreds more in an effort to quell opposition.

AP also reported that those who have donated money to groups opposing the president have been sought out by officials and forced to sign papers saying they were warned against participating in unsanctioned demonstrations.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, an opposition leader in exile who left Belarus due to pressure from the government after running against the president in 2020, told the AP that Sunday’s election was “a senseless farce, a Lukashenko ritual.”

According to her, world leaders should not accept the outcome from a nation “where all independent media and opposition parties have been destroyed and prisons are filled with political prisoners,” and voters should cross off everyone on the ballot.

“The repressions have become even more brutal as this vote without choice has approached, but Lukashenko acts as though hundreds of thousands of people are still standing outside his palace,” she said.

The European Parliament has also urged the European Union (EU) to reject the election outcome. 

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio orders U.S. to immediately stop almost all foreign aid

Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered an immediate stop to the flow of almost all U.S. foreign assistance, pending a review, according to an internal State Department cable obtained by NBC News. A waiver was issued for foreign military financing for both Israel and Egypt, but no other countries were specifically mentioned.

U.S. announces nearly $6B in military, budget aid to Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden announced nearly $6 billion in additional military and budget assistance for Ukraine, including about $2.5 billion in security assistance for the war-torn country. With Biden’s tenure ending in just a few weeks, the 82-year-old is using his final days in office to boost aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes power.

Chinese hackers breach US Treasury computers

The US Treasury says Chinese hackers stole major documents in a computer breach. The hackers compromised third-party cybersecurity service provider BeyondTrust and were able to access unclassified documents, the letter said.

China denies accusations of breaching U.S. Treasury, alert triggers cybersecurity probe

The US Treasury Department disclosed that Chinese hackers breached a third-party service provider earlier this month, gaining access to several workstations and unclassified documents. The breach, which occurred after BeyondTrust, the service provider, alerted the Treasury on December 8, allowed the hackers to bypass security using a stolen key and remotely access employee systems. The Treasury did not specify how many workstations were affected or what documents were stolen, but assured there was no evidence of ongoing access to sensitive data. In response, the department is strengthening its cybersecurity defenses. The Treasury is investigating the breach in collaboration with the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The attack is linked to broader Chinese state-sponsored cyber activities, including the Salt Creek campaign targeting telecommunications companies. Beijing has denied involvement and opposes all forms of cyberattacks, claiming to take measures against such threats.

U.S. Says Chinese Hackers Breached Treasury Systems, Beijing Rejects Washington's "Smear Attack"

In December 30, 2024, the US Treasury Department confirmed that Chinese-backed hackers had infiltrated its systems in a major cybersecurity breach. Assistant Secretary for Management Aditi Hardikar disclosed that the hackers used a stolen key to remotely access Treasury workstations. The breach, attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor, compromised unclassified documents. A third-party software provider, BeyondTrust, first reported the breach on December 8, revealing that hackers exploited a stolen key tied to their service. Both AT&T and Verizon also confirmed cyberattacks by the Chinese intelligence group Salt Typhoon, targeting major US telecom firms and gaining access to sensitive communications. The US Commerce Department responded by banning China Telecom operations in the US, while CISA urged senior political figures to switch to encrypted apps. Despite denials from China, the US government continues to strengthen efforts to protect national systems and interests.

China Hacks U.S. Treasury, What's Up Taiwan – News at 14:00, December 31, 2024|TaiwanPlus News

 

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