Iran-linked hackers threaten to launch Trump aides’ emails

Iran-linked hackers have threatened to reveal extra emails stolen from U.S. President Donald Trump’s circle, after distributing a previous batch to the media forward of the 2024 U.S. election.

In on-line chats with Reuters on Sunday (June 29, 2025) and Monday (June 30, 2025), the hackers, who go by the pseudonym Robert, mentioned that they had roughly 100 gigabytes of emails from the accounts of White Home Chief of Employees Susie Wiles, Mr. Trump’s lawyer Lindsey Halligan, Mr. Trump’s Adviser Roger Stone and porn star-turned-Mr. Trump antagonist Stormy Daniels.

Robert raised the potential of promoting the fabric however in any other case didn’t present particulars of their plans. The hackers didn’t describe the content material of the emails.

U.S. Lawyer Common Pam Bondi described the intrusion as “an unconscionable cyber-attack.”

The White Home and the FBI responded with a press release from FBI Director Kash Patel, who mentioned: “Anybody related to any sort of breach of nationwide safety will likely be totally investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the regulation.”

Ms. Halligan, Mr. Stone, a consultant for Ms. Daniels and the U.S. cyberdefense company CISA didn’t reply to requests for remark. Iran’s mission to the United Nations didn’t return a message searching for remark. Tehran has up to now denied committing cyberespionage.

Robert materialized within the remaining months of the 2024 presidential marketing campaign, after they claimed to have breached the e-mail accounts of a number of Mr. Trump allies, together with Mr. Wiles.

The hackers then distributed emails to journalists.

Reuters beforehand authenticated a few of the leaked materials, together with an e mail that appeared to doc a monetary association between Mr. Trump and attorneys representing former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – now Mr. Trump’s Well being Secretary.

Different materials included Mr. Trump’s marketing campaign communication about Republican office-seekers and dialogue of settlement negotiations with Ms/ Daniels.

Though the leaked paperwork did garner some protection final 12 months, they didn’t basically alter the presidential race, which Mr. Trump received.

The U.S. Justice Division in a September 2024 indictment alleged that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards ran the Robert hacking operation. In conversations with Reuters, the hackers declined to deal with the allegation.

After Mr. Trump’s election, Robert informed Reuters that no extra leaks have been deliberate. As lately as Could, the hackers informed Reuters, “I’m retired, man.” However the group resumed communication after this month’s 12-day air warfare between Israel and Iran, which was capped by U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear websites.

In messages this week, Robert mentioned they have been organizing a sale of stolen emails and needed Reuters to “broadcast this matter.”

American Enterprise Institute scholar Frederick Kagan, who has written about Iranian cyberespionage, mentioned Tehran suffered critical injury within the battle and its spies have been doubtless making an attempt to retaliate in ways in which didn’t draw extra U.S. or Israeli motion.

“A default clarification is that everybody’s been ordered to make use of all of the uneven stuff that they will that is not more likely to set off a resumption of main Israeli/U.S. army exercise,” he mentioned. “Leaking a bunch extra emails is just not doubtless to do this.”

Regardless of worries that Tehran may unleash digital havoc, Iran’s hackers took a low profile in the course of the battle. U.S. cyber officers warned on Monday that American firms and important infrastructure operators would possibly nonetheless be in Tehran’s crosshairs.