President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed reports linking Iran to a coordinated cyberattack on Minnesota’s water infrastructure, instead directing sharp criticism at the state government and Governor Tim Walz.
While speaking during a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump rejected the preliminary assessments from U.S. and state officials that pointed toward Iranian involvement.
“I just want to mention that we heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran,” the president said. “I don’t think so. I think I blame it on Minnesota because they’re grossly incompetent. There was a cyberattack of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota. They like to say, oh, is Iran? Iran should be so lucky. Iran’s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.”
Later in the session, as reporters prepared to leave, Trump expanded on the point. “I think that Minnesota is behind it. You know who’s behind it? Minnesota, because they’re grossly incompetent. I think the governor is behind it. I don’t think there was an Iranian cyberattack. I think that Minnesota ought to get its act together. It’s one of the worst-run states,” he said.
Trump rejects claims that Iran was behind a cyberattack on more than 30 Minnesota water systems, instead blaming the state’s “corrupt governor” Tim Walz for gross incompetence.
At the start of a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, the president dismissed the foreign adversary theory… pic.twitter.com/2fj9Mfn0mr
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The cyber attack, which was first detected this past Sunday, targeted operational technology at more than 30 community water systems across Minnesota. Cities including Plymouth, South St. Paul, Maple Plain, and Braham reported disruptions.
Malicious software temporarily shut down controls for the well and water treatment plant in Braham, leaving the water tower unable to fill for over an hour before a backup restored operations in about 90 minutes. Plymouth and South St. Paul shifted some automated functions to manual control.
Officials emphasized that drinking water remained safe, with no contamination or requirements for residents to alter usage. Minnesota IT Services confirmed the coordinated nature of the incident but stated it has not yet attributed responsibility to any specific actor; the investigation remains active.
The FBI reported similar activity affecting water systems in at least seven states overall. Federal agencies had issued warnings in the days preceding the Minnesota incidents that Iranian-affiliated hackers were actively targeting programmable logic controllers (PLCs) — the industrial computers that automate pumps, valves, and other equipment in water, wastewater, energy, and local government systems.
A CISA advisory, which was originally released in April and updated on July 22, described Iran-linked actors exploiting internet-exposed PLCs, sometimes changing passwords to lock out operators or altering display data, which could lead to operational disruption, financial losses, and in some cases boil-water notices.
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