Donald Trump, who will take office as President of the United States in less than two weeks, is facing new challenges on the international stage.
According to The Hill, while Trump has promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and to strengthen opposition against China, he is also confronted with the threat of attacks from the "gray zone" by foreign adversaries, ranging from surveillance drones to acts of sabotage on land, sea, and air. Tracking hybrid operations has become a new challenge for the U.S. and its NATO allies.
"Despite the geographical distance from geopolitical flashpoints in Europe and Asia, the United States is not immune to hybrid attacks, as evidenced by the passage of a Chinese spy balloon over the U.S. in 2023," the article states.
Furthermore, in several states along the East Coast of the U.S., unidentified swarms of drones have recently been reported, further fueling fears about potential issues "closer to home."
"Trump, who will begin his second term in less than two weeks, will almost certainly have to contend with gray zone tactics, even if he successfully concludes the war in Ukraine, as he has often promised to do," the publication writes.
Analysts note that Russia, Iran, China, and other NATO adversaries actively employ diversions in the "gray zone" and consider them operations with "low risk and high reward."
Source: thehill.