A sophisticated hacking operation linked to China recently breached U.S. telecommunications systems, targeting a select group of high-profile figures, including members of President Trump’s family, Biden administration officials, State Department personnel, and campaign staff for Kamala Harris, according to individuals familiar with the investigation.
The list of affected devices includes phones used by President Trump, his son Eric Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as some of Senator JD Vance’s campaign staff. Additionally, hackers reportedly gained access to phones belonging to Democrats, such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and other key government and policy officials of interest to China.
Eric Trump criticized the Biden administration, suggesting in a statement that the hack reflected weakened U.S. national security under Biden and Harris. However, it remains unclear what data, if any, was extracted from the targeted devices, and whether the attackers captured voice calls or unencrypted messages.
The FBI has linked the breach to “actors affiliated with” the Chinese government and noted that it may have been orchestrated by Salt Typhoon, a known Chinese hacking group with a history of cyber-espionage. National security officials continue to investigate the extent of the breach, assessing potential threats to national security posed by unencrypted data and SMS access.
