Trump Is Nearing a Confrontation with the Very Crises He Has Frequently Criticized
The president-elect is entering the new year facing numerous challenges, including the recent attack in New Orleans and the continuing extensive Chinese-linked hacks targeting critical systems.
TroibNews 
The new year has begun with significant upheaval, and Donald Trump is just days away from facing crises he has long criticized as a candidate and now, as president-elect.
The early days of 2025 suggest a challenging start to his presidency. In New Orleans, a truck driver attacked a crowd celebrating the new year, resulting in over a dozen fatalities in what federal authorities label a “premeditated” act of terrorism. Shortly after, investigators were looking into the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. This followed a government announcement regarding a major cybersecurity breach at the Treasury Department attributed to Chinese state-sponsored hackers, exacerbating concerns over an ongoing intrusion into U.S. telecom systems by Chinese hackers.
Trump has leveraged these events as validation of his dark portrayal of a nation in decline during his campaign, claiming that the attacks, allegedly committed by U.S. citizens, stem from “open borders.” He has inaccurately stated that crime rates are surging and has placed blame for these incidents on President Joe Biden and his administration.
This rhetoric was instrumental in Trump’s return to the White House. However, he now faces the responsibility of addressing the issues he has long attributed to others, with no quick or easy solutions in sight.
“This is something Trump made a major point of during the campaign: People don’t feel safe and don’t feel the current Democratic administration or local administrations in cities and states are really doing enough about it,” said Ryan Williams, a Republican strategist and former aide to Mitt Romney.
“It’s a point he can continue to make until he becomes president. Then he’s got a period of time to show people he’s changing direction and fixing the problems. And then he’ll have to deliver solutions,” Williams added.
Trump has promised large-scale mass deportations upon taking office, focusing first on migrants with serious criminal convictions. Additionally, he has expressed willingness to collaborate with state and local leaders, including Democrats, to address urban crime.
Yet, Trump's claims surrounding immigration and crime in light of the New Orleans and Las Vegas incidents do not align with the facts. Federal authorities identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas, as the suspect in the New Orleans attack. Similarly, they reported that Matthew Livelsberger, the suspect in the Las Vegas explosion, is an active-duty Army soldier. Authorities believe there is no connection between the two incidents.
Jabbar's prior proclamation of support for ISIS contradicts Trump's assertion that he “defeated” the Islamic terrorist group during his previous presidency. Furthermore, despite Trump's repeated claims that crime is “at an all-time high,” statistics indicate a significant decrease in homicide rates in many major cities, with violent crime overall declining last year.
In addition, the recent hack of the Treasury Department by Chinese-backed cybercriminals represents yet another incursion into U.S. cyberspace and signifies a continuous failure in U.S. counterintelligence. Federal officials have acknowledged that a Chinese government-linked group known as Salt Typhoon successfully infiltrated major telecommunications firms, targeting the cell phones of Trump, his then-running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and high-ranking U.S. officials for surveillance.
Trump's response to the latest hack included a Thursday post on social media claiming the U.S. has become a “laughing stock all over the World!” He stated that “[o]nly strength and powerful leadership” can reverse the “violent erosion” of the nation’s safety and security. While Trump has made various nominations for his incoming administration, he has yet to announce candidates for key roles in cybersecurity, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Incoming officials have laid out their plans for the future. Rep. Mike Waltz, the incoming national security advisor, recently emphasized the need for China to face “higher costs and consequences” for its actions, suggesting that the U.S. might take an offensive stance against Beijing. Similarly, Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s choice for secretary of state, referred to the hack as “the most disturbing and widespread incursion into our telecommunications systems in the history of the world.”
Lawmakers from both parties have also underscored the need for a robust response to China regarding the ongoing cyberattacks. House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green and House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar penned a joint op-ed for Fox News urging Trump to implement “cyber-enabled operations” against China in light of the Salt Typhoon hacks. This week, Green reiterated the importance of monitoring the Treasury hack while working closely with CISA.
“China’s state-sponsored hackers remain an urgent threat to our homeland security,” Green stated in a statement provided to PMG. “This intrusion into the Treasury Department through a third-party vendor is a clear message from Beijing about its unwavering commitment to undermining our sovereignty, as well as a vital reminder of the importance of collective defense to protect our government networks.”
Additionally, the incoming Republican chairs of the House Financial Services and Senate Banking committees requested a briefing on the hack from the Treasury Department, while House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith raised the issue separately. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set for a briefing on the Treasury breach “in the coming days,” according to a committee aide.
However, the president-elect’s planned approach to China could exacerbate already fraught relations as he fills his administration with China hawks and considers new tariffs against one of the U.S.’s largest trading partners. Nevertheless, Trump extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for his upcoming inauguration, which was subsequently declined.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
The early days of 2025 suggest a challenging start to his presidency. In New Orleans, a truck driver attacked a crowd celebrating the new year, resulting in over a dozen fatalities in what federal authorities label a “premeditated” act of terrorism. Shortly after, investigators were looking into the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. This followed a government announcement regarding a major cybersecurity breach at the Treasury Department attributed to Chinese state-sponsored hackers, exacerbating concerns over an ongoing intrusion into U.S. telecom systems by Chinese hackers.
Trump has leveraged these events as validation of his dark portrayal of a nation in decline during his campaign, claiming that the attacks, allegedly committed by U.S. citizens, stem from “open borders.” He has inaccurately stated that crime rates are surging and has placed blame for these incidents on President Joe Biden and his administration.
This rhetoric was instrumental in Trump’s return to the White House. However, he now faces the responsibility of addressing the issues he has long attributed to others, with no quick or easy solutions in sight.
“This is something Trump made a major point of during the campaign: People don’t feel safe and don’t feel the current Democratic administration or local administrations in cities and states are really doing enough about it,” said Ryan Williams, a Republican strategist and former aide to Mitt Romney.
“It’s a point he can continue to make until he becomes president. Then he’s got a period of time to show people he’s changing direction and fixing the problems. And then he’ll have to deliver solutions,” Williams added.
Trump has promised large-scale mass deportations upon taking office, focusing first on migrants with serious criminal convictions. Additionally, he has expressed willingness to collaborate with state and local leaders, including Democrats, to address urban crime.
Yet, Trump's claims surrounding immigration and crime in light of the New Orleans and Las Vegas incidents do not align with the facts. Federal authorities identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas, as the suspect in the New Orleans attack. Similarly, they reported that Matthew Livelsberger, the suspect in the Las Vegas explosion, is an active-duty Army soldier. Authorities believe there is no connection between the two incidents.
Jabbar's prior proclamation of support for ISIS contradicts Trump's assertion that he “defeated” the Islamic terrorist group during his previous presidency. Furthermore, despite Trump's repeated claims that crime is “at an all-time high,” statistics indicate a significant decrease in homicide rates in many major cities, with violent crime overall declining last year.
In addition, the recent hack of the Treasury Department by Chinese-backed cybercriminals represents yet another incursion into U.S. cyberspace and signifies a continuous failure in U.S. counterintelligence. Federal officials have acknowledged that a Chinese government-linked group known as Salt Typhoon successfully infiltrated major telecommunications firms, targeting the cell phones of Trump, his then-running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and high-ranking U.S. officials for surveillance.
Trump's response to the latest hack included a Thursday post on social media claiming the U.S. has become a “laughing stock all over the World!” He stated that “[o]nly strength and powerful leadership” can reverse the “violent erosion” of the nation’s safety and security. While Trump has made various nominations for his incoming administration, he has yet to announce candidates for key roles in cybersecurity, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Incoming officials have laid out their plans for the future. Rep. Mike Waltz, the incoming national security advisor, recently emphasized the need for China to face “higher costs and consequences” for its actions, suggesting that the U.S. might take an offensive stance against Beijing. Similarly, Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s choice for secretary of state, referred to the hack as “the most disturbing and widespread incursion into our telecommunications systems in the history of the world.”
Lawmakers from both parties have also underscored the need for a robust response to China regarding the ongoing cyberattacks. House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green and House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar penned a joint op-ed for Fox News urging Trump to implement “cyber-enabled operations” against China in light of the Salt Typhoon hacks. This week, Green reiterated the importance of monitoring the Treasury hack while working closely with CISA.
“China’s state-sponsored hackers remain an urgent threat to our homeland security,” Green stated in a statement provided to PMG. “This intrusion into the Treasury Department through a third-party vendor is a clear message from Beijing about its unwavering commitment to undermining our sovereignty, as well as a vital reminder of the importance of collective defense to protect our government networks.”
Additionally, the incoming Republican chairs of the House Financial Services and Senate Banking committees requested a briefing on the hack from the Treasury Department, while House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith raised the issue separately. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set for a briefing on the Treasury breach “in the coming days,” according to a committee aide.
However, the president-elect’s planned approach to China could exacerbate already fraught relations as he fills his administration with China hawks and considers new tariffs against one of the U.S.’s largest trading partners. Nevertheless, Trump extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for his upcoming inauguration, which was subsequently declined.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
