--- title: "Trump signs order to expand cyber operations against transnational crime groups" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-signs-order-to-expand-cyber-operations-against-transnational-crime-groups" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-signs-order-to-expand-cyber-operations-against-transnational-crime-groups" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-signs-order-to-expand-cyber-operations-against-transnational-crime-groups.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-signs-order-to-expand-cyber-operations-against-transnational-crime-groups" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-13T03:25:22.436Z" source_reported: "2026-08-13T03:06:16.000Z" updated: "2026-08-13T03:25:22.436Z" trust_score: 82 critic_score: 68 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-13T05:45:13.562588+00:00" --- # Trump signs order to expand cyber operations against transnational crime groups *Memorandum directs US agencies to partner with private firms for surveillance and disruption of foreign criminal networks* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 82 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and eight digests corroborate the memo. - Craft 68 of 100, higher is better. Clear explanation of the memo's purpose. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Measured language in headlines. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The memorandum directs the Department of Homeland Security to create a programme for cyber operations against foreign criminal groups. - Private-sector companies will work with federal, state, local, tribal and territorial agencies to collect intelligence and recommend operations. - Participating firms must maintain a bond or escrow of at least $1 million. - No left-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports below. US President Donald Trump signed a national security presidential memorandum on 12 August 2026 to expand federal law enforcement’s use of cyber tools against transnational criminal organisations. The White House said the order directs the Department of Homeland Security to establish a programme to conduct specific cyber operations that disrupt foreign criminal groups operating abroad. The memorandum sets out a framework for private-sector companies to work with federal, state, local, tribal and territorial agencies to collect intelligence on these organisations. Participating firms will be required to maintain a bond or escrow of at least $1 million. The White House cited ransomware attacks and financial fraud as examples of crimes the programme aims to counter. The memo defines cyber operations as including surveillance and what it calls "cyber effects operations", the manipulation, disruption, denial, degradation or destruction of information systems, networks or infrastructure controlled by them. The involvement of private firms in such operations has previously drawn controversy over concerns about escalation and unintended consequences, as reported by the Times of India and Channel News Asia. ## What the coverage left out None of the digests or reports from any side mentioned whether the memorandum had been publicly released in full or whether the White House had provided additional details on how the programme would be implemented. The Times of India and Channel News Asia noted that the White House and Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment, but no outlet reported on the absence of a public text or operational guidance. No left-rated outlet ran the story, according to the reports printed below. ## Who covered it Shares of the 10 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 60% (6) - Right: 40% (4) 3 of 13 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-13T05:45:13.562588+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 11 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-13T06:00:34.042Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - All six centre-rated digests and reports led on the signing of the memorandum and the creation of a framework for private-sector involvement. Reuters, Channel News Asia, Bloomberg, Devdiscourse, WTVB and The Mighty 790 KFGO each carried the $1 million bond requirement and the role of the Department of Homeland Security in overseeing the programme. - Channel News Asia and Reuters quoted the White House’s description of the programme as leveraging private-sector innovation under government direction. Channel News Asia’s report included the memo’s definition of "cyber effects operations" and noted past controversies over private-sector involvement in cyber operations. ### Right - The two right-rated reports, the Times of India’s full article and The Straits Times’ digest, led on the expansion of cyber tools for law enforcement. The Times of India’s headline described the targets as "transnational criminal organistaions" and quoted the memo’s definition of cyber effects operations, including the potential for "destruction of information systems". - The Times of India’s report also noted that the programme would be overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. The Straits Times’ digest mentioned the framework for private-sector collaboration with government agencies but did not include the $1 million bond requirement. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 1 - mixed: 1 - high: 5 - unknown: 4 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Seeking Alpha](https://seekingalpha.com/news/4632058-trump-signs-memo-enlisting-private-sector-in-cyber-operations-against-foreign-crime-groups) — Trump signs memo enlisting private sector in cyber operations against foreign crime groups (XLK:NYSEARCA) - [大纪元 Epoch Times](https://epochtimes.com/b5/26/8/13/n14828810.htm) — Trump Signs Memorandum Authorizing the Use of Cyber Tools to Combat Transnational Crime. - [El Comercio](https://elcomercio.pe/peru/policia-nacional-del-peru-confirma-que-establecio-convenio-con-el-fbi-para-enfrentar-crimen-transnacional-ultimas-noticia) — PNP Confirms that It Has Entered Into an Agreement with the FBI to Deal with Transnational Crime - [Bloomberg](https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-13/trump-enlists-private-sector-to-boost-cyber-offensive-arsenal) — Trump Enlists Private Sector to Boost Cyber-Offensive Arsenal - [Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-law-enforcement-to-target-transnational-criminal-organistaions-with-cyber-tools/articleshow/133196162.cms) — US law enforcement to target 'transnational criminal organistaions' with cyber tools - [Devdiscourse](https://devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/3963201-trump-unleashes-cyber-arsenal-against-global-crime-syndicates) — Trump Unleashes Cyber Arsenal Against Global Crime Syndicates - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-signed-memo-to-allow-use-of-cyber-tools-to-target-transnational-criminal-organisations-white) — Trump signed memo to allow use of cyber tools to target transnational criminal organisations, White House says - [Folha de S.Paulo](https://redir.folha.com.br/redir/online/mundo/rss091/*https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/mundo/2026/08/trump-autoriza-uso-de-ferramentas-ciberneticas-contra-organizacoes-criminosas-transnacionais.shtml) — Trump Authorizes Cyber Resources to Fight Crime - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/08/12/trump-signed-memo-to-allow-use-of-cyber-tools-to-target-transnational-criminal-orgs-white-house-says) — Trump signed memo to allow use of cyber tools to target transnational criminal orgs, White House says - [The Mighty 790 KFGO](https://kfgo.com/2026/08/12/trump-signed-memo-to-allow-use-of-cyber-tools-to-target-transnational-criminal-orgs-white-house-says) — Trump signed memo to allow use of cyber tools to target transnational criminal organizations, White House says - [Channel News Asia](https://channelnewsasia.com/world/us-trump-memo-cyber-tools-transnational-criminal-organisations-6315976) — Trump signed memo to allow use of cyber tools to target transnational criminal organisations, White House says - [Newsmax](https://newsmax.com/newsfront/cyber-crime-president-trump-national-security/2026/08/12/id/1265924) — Trump Memo Allows Cyber Tools to Target Crime Groups - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/world/trump-signed-memo-allow-use-cyber-tools-target-transnational-criminal-orgs-white-2026-08-12) — Trump signed memo to allow use of cyber tools to target transnational criminal organizations, White House says ## Questions **What does the memorandum allow private companies to do?** The memorandum directs the Department of Homeland Security to establish a programme for private-sector companies to conduct cyber surveillance and disruption operations against transnational criminal organisations. These operations can include manipulation, disruption or destruction of information systems, as defined in the memo. The companies must work under federal government supervision. **How much must participating companies put up as a bond?** The memorandum requires participating private-sector companies to maintain a bond or escrow of at least $1 million. This requirement was reported by Reuters, Channel News Asia, Bloomberg and the Times of India, among others. **Which agencies will oversee the programme?** The programme will be overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, as stated in the memorandum. This detail was included in reports by the Times of India and Channel News Asia. **Did any left-rated outlet cover the story?** No left-rated outlet carried the story, according to the reports printed below. The coverage was limited to centre-rated and right-rated outlets, with no reports from outlets classified as left. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-signs-order-to-expand-cyber-operations-against-transnational-crime-groups. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump signs order to expand cyber operations against transnational crime groups", https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-signs-order-to-expand-cyber-operations-against-transnational-crime-groups