Presidential Policy Directive 20  had mapped out an elaborate interagency process before the United States engaged in cyberattacks. It was designed by President Barack Obama’s administration and was leaked in 2013 by former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

Critics of the Obama-era policy have seen it as preventing a quick and forceful response to cyberattacks by involving too many federal agencies in the planning.

However, Trump signed an order reversing it, although it is unclear how he has replaced it.

One administration official briefed on the decision described it as an “offensive step forward” intended to help support military operations, deter foreign election influence and thwart intellectual property theft by meeting such threats with a more forceful response.

We will have to take his word for it. After all, Trump never lies, does he?

Given that the Republicans have refused to provide money to stop election hacking, on the basis that the Russian government wants them to win, it is unlikely to cover defence and focus more on attack.

Trump has agreed with Putin that the Russians don’t attack the US and anyone who says so is writing fake news, so we guess he is talking about someone else attacking the US.