(FeaturedNews.com) – In 2018, former President Donald Trump signed the National Security Presidential Memorandum-13 (NSPM-13), giving the Department of Defense (DOD) special authority to conduct operations in cyberspace. Considering scaling back the memo, the Biden administration finds itself in the midst of a national security debate some would say goes back to the Obama administration. Experts caution that Trump’s response to warnings of global cyber threats, NSPM 13, may no longer be prudent.
Debate erupts at news the White House may scale back DOD cyber-ops authorities
https://t.co/w99yI2s4zV by @SuzanneMSmalley— CyberScoop (@CyberScoopNews) April 4, 2022
Cyber security is no new issue. The Obama administration took the position that negotiating a softer stance with possible threats like China had to happen before the US could assume its enemies meant harm in cyberspace. While the internet was relatively new to many in 2008, former President Barack Obama’s policies turned out to be what could be considered naive.
Trump’s decision took the White House out of the cyber-ops chain of command and handed DOD the authority to defend the country – the appropriate agency.
The debate now is whether or not to add the White House and another layer of decision-making back into the equation. Some argue that with the current state of affairs in the East, President Joe Biden needs to have an emergency brake, should the opportunity for diplomacy arise. While Trump may not have needed such a tool, the current administration seems to believe a fail-safe would be helpful to have in its diplomatic arsenal.
Others believe the DOD should continue doing what it does without a layer of interference from politicians. Hypothetically, a situation that requires immediate action to interrupt a direct and imminent threat could arise.
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