US authorities are investigating a suspicious email that appeared to come from Republican lawmaker John Moolenaar but was actually carrying malware, reportedly aimed at gaining insights into the Trump administration’s trade discussions with Beijing. According to a publication, cyber analysts traced the attack to hacker group APT41, which is believed to be linked to Chinese intelligence.
The email, sent in July to US trade groups, law firms and government agencies, included a draft of proposed legislation. By opening it, recipients would have unknowingly given hackers broad access to their systems. The message read, “Your insights are essential,” while urging recipients to review the document. It remains unclear whether the attempt was successful.
Moolenaar, a vocal critic of Beijing and chairman of a congressional committee on US-China competition and national security, described the attack as part of a wider pattern of Chinese cyber operations. “We will not be intimidated,” he said. The incident reportedly came to light after staffers in his committee received unusual questions about the email.
The first malware message surfaced just before US-China trade negotiations in Sweden, which resulted in an extension of the tariff truce until early November. At that time, former US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were expected to meet at a regional economic summit.
The Chinese embassy in Washington responded by saying it was not aware of the details but stressed that all nations face cyberattacks that are difficult to trace. “China firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks and cyber crime,” it said in a statement. “We also firmly oppose smearing others without solid evidence.”
The US Capitol Police are examining the matter, though they declined to comment publicly. The FBI confirmed it is aware of the situation, stating, “We are working with our partners to identify and pursue those responsible.”
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