Conservatives rallied around Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after he fired back at a criticism from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on social media.

Russia has intensified cyber operations against Ukraine and NATO countries, according to previous U.S. intelligence and private sector reports.

The U.S. Cyber Command is pausing its offensive operations against Russia. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the decision, which was confirmed Monday by a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations.

The Pentagon on Tuesday denied reports that Pete Hegseth has ordered US Cyber Command to cease its cyberoffensive against Russia, the Hill reports. "TO BE CLEAR: @SecDef has neither canceled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets and there has been no stand-down order whatsoever from that priority,

Secretary of State Pete Hegseth chastised the media on Thursday. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: To the previous question from the Washington Post, the press is interested in narratives. Our president is interested in peace.

U.S. Cyber Command has been ordered to halt offensive operations against Russia, according to reports.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's instruction, part of a move to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin into talks about the war in Ukraine,

Multiple U.S. officials tell CBS News that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive to U.S. Cyber Command last month to pause planning against Russia, including provocative offensive cyber operations.

The Department of Defense is denying reports Secretary Pete Hegseth halted offensive cyber operations against Russia. “TO BE CLEAR: @SecDef has neither canceled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets and there has been no stand-down order whatsoever from that priority,

The problem is not just the Pentagon halting offensive cyber operations against Russia. It's also the series of related steps in the same direction.

The Illinois Democrat countered Hegseth's curious refusal to name Russia as the aggressor in the Ukraine war with his own work as a former Fox News host.