Staff cuts at CISA

The Trump administration reportedly cut one-third of the staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a federal agency focused on cybersecurity and infrastructure protection. The reduction affected the agency's ability to maintain expertise in electoral security, which had been a key area of its work.

CISA’s role in election security

CISA was created in 2018 as the cyber arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and played a major role in election security after the 2016 elections. It shared cybersecurity best practices and intelligence with states and worked to counter disinformation and false claims about elections.

CISA’s response to election claims

CISA co-signed a statement confirming that the 2020 elections were the most secure in U.S. history, with no evidence of voting system tampering or fraud. It launched a campaign called "Rumor control" to debunk election-related rumors, including those spread by Donald Trump and his supporters.

Director’s statement and Trump’s response

CISA director Chris Krebs stated that 59 election security experts agreed that claims of election fraud were not supported or technically sound. In response, Trump announced on social media that Krebs was fired, accusing him of inaccurate statements about the 2020 election.

Leadership and operational changes

Since Trump's second term, CISA has operated without a Senate-confirmed leader, and in February 2025, it halted all work on election security. Employees linked to election security and disinformation programs were placed on leave, with the agency stating it would refocus on physical and cyber security.

Impact of staff reductions

Former CISA officials told the New York Times that staff cuts and budget reductions have had a "deterrent effect" on the agency’s election security division. CISA has lost about one-third of its workforce, reducing its ability to support state and local jurisdictions in assessing electoral system cybersecurity.

CISA’s current capabilities

CISA claims it is fully prepared to handle cyber threats despite staff reductions. However, its website does not mention the upcoming midterm elections, and the agency has not established a central "war room" for election-related communication, unlike in past elections.

Election security planning

In 2020, CISA published its election security plan in February. This year, it delayed publication until late September, and the 11-page document contains little new or useful information, according to experts. The plan also omits the term "disinformation."

Risks and AI challenges

A public interest message from the FBI and CIA in October warned of cybercriminals using advanced artificial intelligence to conduct more effective phishing campaigns. The message noted that previous phishing emails were easier to detect due to errors, but AI has changed that landscape.

CISA’s future strategy

Nick Andersen, acting director of CISA since February 2026, did not mention the word "election" during a recent podcast discussing the agency’s new strategy, "CISA 2030." The document also does not include the term "election," despite mentioning "President Trump" four times. The actual content of the strategy spans only three pages after removing preliminary sections.