The White House wants to encourage cyberattacks

commentary Trump's novel cybercrime strategy threatens to backfire News Editor Published August 17, 2026 6:30AM (EDT) (Photo Illustration by Salon / Aerial Footage / Getty Images) A version of this essay first appeared in Crash Course, Salon's free morning newsletter. Sign up for early access to articles like this, plus more of Salon’s bold journalism on how policies, movements and culture wars affect real people. In late July, according to the FBI, utility companies in at least seven states experienced cyberattacks from “malicious cyber actors” who remotely accessed water management systems, causing loss of pressure and flooding. As it turned out, there were more hazards. The agency warned in a recent alert that “untreated ground water [could] seep into pipes.” At least 30 municipal water