United States President Donald Trump indicated he “could” raise the issue of the alleged Russian hacking of the US federal court filing system during his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska later this week.
“I guess I could… They hack in, that’s what they do. They are good at it. We are good at it; we are actually better at it. I have heard about it,” Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday (local time).
His remarks followed reports that investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting Russia’s involvement in a recent breach of the US federal court document system. The compromised system reportedly contained highly sensitive records that could expose sources and individuals charged with national security crimes, according to The New York Times.
The revelation comes just days ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday, where he also plans to press for an end to the war in Ukraine.
Although officials have not confirmed whether Russian intelligence or another nation was behind the cyberattack, the breach is described as part of a years-long effort to infiltrate court systems. Some searches reportedly targeted mid-level criminal cases in New York City and other jurisdictions, with several involving defendants of Russian and Eastern European origin.
Court administrators recently warned Justice Department officials, clerks, and chief judges about “persistent and sophisticated cyber threat actors” compromising sealed records. An internal memo urged the immediate removal of the most sensitive files from the system, calling the situation an “URGENT MATTER” requiring swift action.
The breach is believed to have affected documents related to overseas-linked criminal activity in at least eight district courts. Last month, chief judges across the country were discreetly instructed to move such cases off the main system and initially refrain from discussing the matter with other judges.
