In a surprising turn of events, the Trump campaign has taken a starkly different approach to hacking this time around, as it declared over the weekend that it had been the target of a hack by Iran. This marks a significant shift in the campaign's position, considering Trump's previous embrace of hacked materials and his call for Russia to find Hillary Clinton's missing emails during the 2016 presidential race.

The campaign's communications director, Steven Cheung, issued a statement on Saturday condemning any media outlet that publishes the hacked documents or internal communications, accusing them of aiding America's enemies. However, when questioned about the change in their stance, the campaign has remained silent, leaving many puzzled by their reversal.

The specifics of the current hack remain unclear. On Friday, Microsoft reported that Iranian hackers had attempted to access the account of an official from one of the presidential campaigns, without divulging further details. Subsequently, the Trump campaign announced on Saturday that it had been hacked, but did not disclose the identity of the individual whose account was breached. Politico had been contacted by an anonymous source claiming to possess internal campaign documents before the campaign's announcement.

While Iran has denied any involvement in the hack, the U.S. government has not yet confirmed the occurrence of a breach. The FBI stated on Monday that it is currently conducting an investigation into the matter.

This change in the Trump campaign's stance on hacking is particularly noteworthy as it starkly contrasts with their previous enthusiasm for the release of hacked materials. In 2016, intelligence officials revealed Russian hackers had obtained thousands of emails from the Democratic National Committee and prominent figures within Hillary Clinton's campaign.

During that time, Trump actively encouraged Russia to uncover Clinton's missing emails, initially arguing that his comments were made in jest. The hacked materials were disseminated through third parties, including WikiLeaks, which began publishing Democratic documents in October, coinciding with the release of a damaging videotape featuring Trump's controversial remarks about women.

Throughout his campaign, Trump enthusiastically embraced the leaked documents, even expressing his admiration for WikiLeaks at campaign rallies. The extensive media coverage of the leaked materials coupled with their timing during the election season led communication professor Kathleen Hall Jamieson to assert that it played a significant role in Trump's victory.

Jamieson criticized the media's handling of the hacked materials, highlighting the need for news organizations to apply consistent standards when dealing with such sensitive information. She further commented on Trump's predictable inconsistency, stating that it is not surprising that he aligns his message to what seems politically advantageous for him.

Former spokesman for Clinton's 2016 campaign, Nick Merrill, pointed out the irony of the Trump campaign finding itself in a similar position this time around. Merrill acknowledged that a precedent had been set with the publication of hacked materials but refrained from passing judgment on the matter.

As the investigation into the latest hack unfolds, the Trump campaign's changing stance on hacking has raised eyebrows and drawn attention to the delicate balance news organizations must strike when determining the public interest and potential implications of publishing such materials.