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US Cyber Diplomacy: A New Era Under Trump - The future of US cyber diplomacy hangs in the balance as the Trump administration prepares to take office with a bold strategy that mirrors military-equipment sales to foreign governments. Experts warn that societies like the US are more vulnerable due to their openness and interconnectedness, while Fick advocates for a bias for action to address growing concerns about China's increasing investment in US infrastructure.
Diplomats expect a bold strategy from the Trump administration in cyber diplomacy, similar to military-equipment sales. The US is more vulnerable due to its openness and interconnectedness, warns Melissa Fick. Experts worry about China's increasing investment in US infrastructure and Trump's bombastic approach to countering Beijing. The new administration should impose costs on China, including military costs, warns Fick. Fick advises the incoming administration to have a "bias for action" and not be indecisive, as this can give adversaries an advantage. US cyber diplomacy is crucial in an era of rapidly evolving technologies and intensifying geopolitical competition, says Fick.
In a world where technology is rapidly evolving and geopolitical competition is intensifying, the future of US cyber diplomacy hangs in the balance. As the Trump administration prepares to take office, the nation's top diplomats are bracing for change and grappling with the implications of emerging technologies on international relations.
According to sources close to the transition team, including former Cybersecurity Coordinator Melissa Fick, the new administration is poised to embark on a bold strategy that mirrors military-equipment sales to foreign governments. Diplomats will arrange deals that improve partners' security while benefiting US businesses, marking a significant shift in the nation's approach to cyber diplomacy.
Fick, who has been deeply involved in the US response to Chinese cyber aggression, warns that societies like the US are more vulnerable due to their openness and interconnectedness. "Societies like ours are more vulnerable because we're more open and we're more connected," she says. "The next team is going to have to be highly sensitive to our vulnerabilities in those areas."
Experts have long worried about the consequences of Trump's bombastic approach to countering Beijing, particularly given China's increasing investment in US infrastructure. Fick has discussed these concerns with Trump's team and predicts that there will be consistency on this front, including a shared sense that the US needs to extend deterrence into the digital world.
Mike Waltz, Trump's incoming national security adviser, recently called for a cyber version of mutually assured destruction, warning China that if they're placing cyber time bombs in US ports and grids, "we can do it to you, too, so let's both not." Fick agrees that imposing costs on China is imperative, including military costs, but worries that Beijing is becoming increasingly reckless.
"We fear that they are mis-pricing the risk associated with" infrastructure intrusions, says Fick, who has been deeply involved in the US response to the attacks. "We're concerned that their system is not acting in a coordinated, unified way," she adds. "We really need the Chinese to ensure that the cyber actors on their side are operating fully within the authority and under the control of senior political leadership."
As Trump prepares to leave office, Fick has one major piece of advice for the incoming administration: "It is essential to have a bias for action." She warns that indecision can be a decision in itself, allowing adversaries like China and Russia to gain the upper hand. "The job of the leaders in these big organizations," she says, "is to move the org to change a little bit faster than it would on its own."
Fick has been instrumental in establishing a process for rapidly delivering cyber-defense aid to Ukraine's battered government, a key ally in the region. Her team was instrumental in launching a foreign cyber aid fund that will support programs to deploy security assistance to hack-stricken allies and subsidize new undersea cables.
In addition to her work on cyber diplomacy, Fick has also focused on preparing the Foreign Service for the modern world. She met her goal of training at least one tech-savvy diplomat for every foreign embassy (around 237 total) and successfully lobbied to add digital fluency to the State Department's criteria for career ambassador positions.
The Trump administration's approach to cyber diplomacy has been shaped by Fick's experiences on the ground, including visits to Ukraine, Poland, and Estonia. She senses a "deep desire for the United States to stay engaged" with its allies in Europe but also recognizes that European partners are increasingly taking steps to do their own share.
More broadly, Fick warns that without US engagement, multilateral organizations like the UN and the Group of 20 will become playgrounds for China and Russia. "Without the United States deeply involved, you're going to see the Chinese more deeply involved, you're going to see the Russians more deeply involved," she says.
As the Trump administration prepares to take office, Fick's words offer a timely reminder of the importance of US cyber diplomacy in an era of rapidly evolving technologies and intensifying geopolitical competition. Will the new administration prioritize action over caution, or will it allow its competitors to fill the vacuum? Only time will tell.
Related Information:
https://www.wired.com/story/nathaniel-fick-us-cyber-ambassador-exit-interview/
Published: Thu Jan 16 08:34:31 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
