China may not have enormous military or economic power at the present time, but they have successfully hacked U.S. infrastructure. [0] and the precautions that the Biden administration put in place are being backpedaled [1] "Trump admin fires security board investigating Chinese hack of large ISPs" and top security officials are dangerously unqualified, and are using insecure practices. Experienced people are being replaced by political sympathizers. "National Security Agency chief fired" [2]

In my opinion, a massive hack attack by likely culprits China, Russia or North Korea takes down the entire U.S. internet, water and power plants and top-level government communications. Only lower level military and state disaster personnel are operational. What about Starlink? Sloppy security means it is knocked out, and since it ousted Verizon for the White House, confusion reigns.

Key to this is the use of home phones by Hegseth and company. Home phones, despite a secure messaging app like Signal, are trivially hacked to capture the screen, cameras and microphones, making security meaningless.

No security flaw or lax practice goes unexploited. Focusing on DEI instead of defense may be disastrous.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Typhoon

[1] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/trump-admin-fire...

[2] https://www.npr.org/2025/04/04/g-s1-58247/national-security-...