Trump blames Minnesota for water system attack, calls state ‘grossly incompetent’

In the wake of a recent cyberattack targeting water systems in Minnesota, US President Donald Trump has blamed the state, calling it "grossly incompetent." During a Cabinet meeting, Trump dismissed reports suggesting Iran was responsible for the attacks, saying, "I think I blame it on Minnesota because they're grossly incompetent," in reference to Democratic Governor Tim Walz.

While Trump did not reveal his suspected attacker, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz responded by accusing Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of leaving the US exposed to cyberattacks, praising cybersecurity experts in the state who had identified vulnerabilities and assisted in containing the incident. The cyberattacks, which occurred on July 26 and 27, have been linked by Wired to an allegedly Iran-linked cyber sabotage campaign.

However, no federal or state agency has formally attributed responsibility to Tehran. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is coordinating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other partners to determine the scope of the attacks and provide support. The FBI, meanwhile, reported similar cyber incidents affecting water facilities in at least seven US states since July 27, stating it is monitoring the situation and working with partner agencies to protect critical infrastructure.