Trump Questions Iran's Role in Minnesota Water System Cyberattack, Blames State Leadership

President Donald Trump questioned early assessments linking Iran to a recent cyberattack targeting the water systems of roughly 30 Minnesota communities, instead placing blame on state officials during a Cabinet meeting Friday.

The president addressed the incident while delivering opening remarks that also touched on immigration, crime, inflation and the economy.
Trump began the meeting by highlighting what he described as major accomplishments by his administration, pointing to illegal immigration and crime statistics before turning his attention to the reported cyberattack affecting Minnesota's water infrastructure.

"It's almost hard to say because you'd say, is that even possible, to have 25 million people came in. We have no people coming in illegally through our southern border, and that's in history," Trump said. "So think of that zero — a big, beautiful zero."
The president also touted what he described as historically low crime levels.

"The murder rate, so it's the single largest drop ever recorded, to the lowest in 125 years. That goes back to — think of it — it goes back to 1900. Lowest murder rate in the history of our country. So that's something," Trump said.

Trump then shifted to the cyberattack that disrupted water systems across dozens of Minnesota communities earlier this week.
"Today, I just want to mention that we heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran," Trump said.

While state and federal officials have initially indicated that Iran may have been responsible for the coordinated cyberattack, Trump expressed skepticism about that assessment.
"I don't think so," the president said. "I think I blame it in Minnesota, because they're grossly incompetent."

Trump argued that responsibility rested with state leadership rather than a foreign adversary.
"There was a cybersecurity of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota," Trump said.
He continued by dismissing the suggestion that Iran was responsible.

"They like to say, 'Oh, it's Iran.' Iran should be so lucky. Iran's got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota," Trump said.

After addressing the cyberattack, Trump returned to discussing the economy, pointing to recent inflation figures and price reductions at major retailers.
"This month, it was announced that inflation is dropping at the fastest rate in more than six years," Trump said.

He added that Walmart, Sam's Club, Giant Eagle and other retailers were reducing prices at grocery stores across the country.
"Walmart, Sam's Club, Giant Eagle, and others are slashing prices by hundreds of grocery stores, and all of the stores — I mean, throughout the country — they're slashing prices, something that you haven't seen for a long time, since my last administration," Trump said.

The president also highlighted stock market performance since the election, saying the market had reached dozens of record highs.
"The stock market has set 73 all-time record highs since the election," Trump said. "That means all-time record highs, 73 days, out of a very short period of time."

Trump also claimed that the typical 401(k) account had increased in value by more than $30,000.

"And when you think of that, if you add another $1,000 to it, it will be — we set the record in the last administration, a record still standing. This administration is going to blow my last administration away," the president said as he continued his extended remarks before the Cabinet.