ADDRESSING CYBERCRIME AND FRAUD:
Today, President Donald J. Trump took a significant step in the battle against cybercrime by signing an Executive Order aimed at dismantling fraudulent schemes that prey on American families, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
- The Order mandates a thorough review by relevant Administration officials to assess how operational, technical, diplomatic, and regulatory strategies can be enhanced to tackle transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) involved in cyber-enabled crime and predatory schemes.
- It also requires the formulation of an action plan that identifies TCOs behind scam operations and cybercrime, proposing measures to prevent, disrupt, investigate, and dismantle their operations—potentially through the establishment of a specialized operational cell within the National Coordination Center (NCC).
- The Attorney General is instructed to prioritize the prosecution of cyber-enabled fraud and scam operations, focusing on the most serious offenses that are provably actionable.
- The Secretary of Homeland Security is directed to collaborate with the NCC to provide training, technical assistance, and resilience-building measures against cyber threats for state and local partners.
- The Attorney General is further tasked with recommending the creation of a Victims Restoration Program, aimed at returning seized or forfeited funds directly to victims of fraud.
- Lastly, the Secretary of State is instructed to engage with foreign governments to enforce actions against TCOs operating within their jurisdictions and to impose penalties—including sanctions, visa restrictions, reduced foreign assistance, and expulsion of complicit officials—on nations that harbor these predatory schemes.
DEFENDING AMERICANS FROM PREDATORY SCHEMES:
In an aggressive move, President Trump is deploying all possible resources to thwart foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud and extortion.
- Ransomware attacks, phishing schemes, financial fraud, sextortion, and impersonation scams are often orchestrated by sophisticated TCOs, operating with alarming coordination.
- Many of these criminal enterprises receive either direct or tacit support from foreign regimes, fostering a shadow economy that thrives on stolen identities, coercion, forced labor, and human trafficking.
- The most vulnerable segments of our society—seniors, children, and low-income families—are particularly susceptible, losing life savings and benefits accumulated over years, which can devastate lives.
- In 2024, American consumers reported losses exceeding $12.5 billion due to cyber-enabled fraud, with seniors suffering the highest average losses.
- A staggering 73% of U.S. adults have encountered some form of online scam, and 87% of seniors consider online fraud a pressing issue.
- Alarmingly, one in seven young individuals who faced sextortion as minors reported self-harm as a reaction to their experiences. Until now, outdated frameworks, coordination gaps, and the lack of real consequences have allowed these networks to flourish unchecked.
- With this Executive Order, President Trump has initiated the development of an Action Plan designed to identify and eliminate the barriers to dismantling TCOs responsible for these crimes. The designation of the NCC as the lead national element for this initiative will enhance coordination and strategic leadership.
ENSURING JUSTICE AND SECURITY FOR AMERICANS:
President Trump is committed to advancing cybersecurity for the protection of all Americans.
- He has made it clear that this Administration will exhaust every avenue to enhance America’s cyber security, focusing relentlessly on technical and organizational improvements to bolster the security and resilience of the nation’s information systems and networks.
- In May 2025, President Trump signed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a landmark bipartisan measure championed by First Lady Melania Trump, aimed at protecting children and families from online exploitation and extortion through the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and deepfake misuse.
- On March 3, 2025, Mrs. Trump convened a Roundtable on Online Protection, discussing the TAKE IT DOWN Act with Members of Congress, survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery, and advocates for online safety to advocate for enhanced protections and legislative action.
- In June 2025, President Trump reinforced the nation’s cybersecurity framework through an Executive Order focused on critical protections against foreign cyber threats and the advancement of secure technological practices.
- In September 2025, the Trump Administration issued a Notice designed to help financial institutions detect and disrupt financially motivated sextortion schemes.
- Additionally, President Trump has taken steps to eliminate barriers to AI innovation, ensuring that the technology sector remains competitive and at the forefront of new developments.
