The Trump administration is set to allocate $1 billion over the next four years for what it describes as “offensive cyber operations,” according to a provision tucked inside the administration’s sweeping new legislation, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill.

The funds, to be directed through the Department of Defense, are aimed at boosting the capabilities of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command — the military unit responsible for operations in the Asia-Pacific region, where tensions with China, the U.S.’s primary strategic rival, continue to escalate.

However, the bill offers little detail on the nature or scope of the planned offensive operations. It does not specify the types of tools, software, or tactics the funds would support. Experts say “offensive cyber operations” can range from deploying malware and zero-day exploits to running spyware programs and establishing cyber-infrastructure for surveillance or attacks.

The billion-dollar allocation comes at a controversial time, as the same bill cuts $1 billion from the U.S. cyber defense budget. That includes reduced funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which has faced staffing and resource cuts in recent years under Trump’s leadership.

Critics argue that the shift in priorities exposes the country to greater risk.

“The Trump administration has slashed funding for cybersecurity and government technology and left our country wide open to attack by foreign hackers,” said Senator Ron Wyden, a senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, in a statement. “Vastly expanding U.S. government hacking is going to invite retaliation — not just against federal agencies, but also rural hospitals, local governments, and private companies who don’t stand a chance against nation-state hackers.”

Wyden also pointed to recent legal battles over mass layoffs at CISA. A federal court ruled that the dismissal of 130 employees from the agency was unlawful, but only partial restitution has been made so far.

Cybersecurity experts warn that while offensive cyber capabilities are essential to modern defense strategy, cutting back on defensive readiness could be dangerous. The U.S. continues to face persistent cyber threats from China, Russia, North Korea, and other actors.

The Pentagon has yet to provide further clarification on how the offensive funds will be used. In the absence of transparency, questions continue to swirl about the balance between cyber offense and defense — and the long-term security consequences of the administration’s decisions.