President Trump’s first 90 days in office came and went Thursday without the White House unveiling a comprehensive cybersecurity plan as repeatedly promised, raising questions about the nation’s ability to defend against potentially crippling cyberattacks.
Though Mr. Trump previously insisted his administration would release a full cybersecurity report during his first 90 days as president, Thursday’s self-imposed deadline ended without the release of any such offering.
“The president has appointed a diverse set of executives with both government and private sector expertise who are currently working to deliver an initial cybersecurity plan through a joint effort between the National Security Council and the Office of American Innovation,” White House spokeswoman Lindsey Walters told reporters Thursday.
Nonetheless, the White House did not say why the deadline was missed or when such a report can be expected.
Prior to taking office on Jan. 20, Mr. Trump insisted his administration would tackle the topic of cybersecurity straight from the start.
“Whether it is our government, organizations, associations or businesses, we need to aggressively combat and stop cyberattacks,” Mr. Trump said in a Jan. 6 statement. “I will appoint a team to give me a plan within 90 days of taking office.”
“My people will have a full report on hacking within 90 days!” he tweeted later.
As his 100th day in office nears, however, critics suggest Mr. Trump’s latest missed deadline is just one of a handful of failed promises to already hamper his administration. Contrary to his campaign vows, Mr. Trump has neither repealed the Affordable Care Act nor unveiled a plan to defeat the Islamic State terror group.
Mr. Trump insisted he’d make cybersecurity a high priority after allegations began to swell year involving the hacking campaign waged against his own presidential opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that the Russian government waged that campaign in a bid to disrupt Mrs. Clinton’s presidential ambitions, and federal investigators are currently considering whether any collusion occurred between Mr. Trump’s campaign and individuals in Russia, notwithstanding repeated denials from either.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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