White House Proposes $707 Million Cut to CISA Budget
The White House has proposed cutting about $707 million from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in fiscal year 2027, reducing the agency’s budget by roughly 30% to about $2 billion. The administration said the reduction would narrow CISA’s mission to protecting federal civilian networks and critical infrastructure while eliminating what it described as censorship, waste, poor management, and duplicative programs. The proposal also includes a $40 million reduction tied to restructuring CISA’s Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and shifting some responsibilities elsewhere within the Department of Homeland Security.
The proposed cuts follow a bruising period for CISA marked by workforce reductions, funding pressure, shutdown-related disruption, and the continued absence of a Senate-confirmed permanent director. State officials, industry groups, former agency personnel, lawmakers, and security experts warned the reductions could weaken threat intelligence sharing, incident response, election security support, and coordination with state, local, private-sector, and international partners at a time when the United States is facing major cyber threats and intrusions linked to Russia, China, and Iran.
How this story unfolded
11 events from the earliest known activity through the most recent confirmed update.
CISA undergoes workforce reductions and funding pressure
During the year preceding the FY2027 budget proposal, CISA faced layoffs, shutdown-related disruptions, and sustained funding pressure that officials and experts said weakened the agency's capabilities.
Lawmakers reduce an earlier proposed CISA budget cut
Congress previously scaled back an earlier proposed reduction to CISA's budget from nearly $500 million to about $135 million, softening the administration's earlier effort to shrink the agency.
Trump administration returns to office without permanent CISA director
After President Trump returned to office in 2025, CISA operated without a Senate-confirmed permanent director, contributing to concerns about the agency's stability and leadership.
White House proposes cutting CISA budget by about $707 million
In its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal, the White House proposed reducing CISA funding by roughly 30%, or about $707 million, to narrow the agency's mission to federal network security and critical infrastructure protection.
Budget proposal outlines restructuring of CISA WMD office
The FY2027 proposal included a $40 million reduction tied to restructuring CISA's Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and shifting operational responsibilities to other DHS components.
FY2027 budget proposal targets CISA election security program
The Trump administration's FY2027 budget proposal called for eliminating CISA's election security program and ending support for the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center. The proposal also reduced stakeholder engagement and related functions, reflecting a narrower vision for CISA's role in election-related security.
Officials and experts warn cuts could weaken cyber coordination
Following disclosure of the proposed cuts, state officials, industry groups, former CISA employees, lawmakers, and security experts warned the reductions could undermine threat intelligence sharing, incident response, election security, and cross-sector risk management.
HHS budget proposes OCR reorganization and HIPAA enforcement funding
The FY2027 HHS budget justification proposed consolidating OCR and other offices into a new Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Appeals. The proposal included funding that would use $10 million in civil monetary settlement funds to support HIPAA enforcement activities.
Election officials testify CISA rollback harmed midterm preparedness
At a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, state and local officials from Michigan and Georgia said cuts to CISA election-security staffing, disinformation work, and advisory support had damaged trusted relationships and reduced assistance to jurisdictions. Witnesses warned the loss of federal support could leave election offices less prepared for threats ahead of the November 2026 midterms.
House approves DHS spending bill setting CISA funding near $2.6 billion
The U.S. House approved homeland security spending legislation that would provide the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency with nearly $2.6 billion. The measure represented an almost $300 million reduction from CISA's fiscal 2025 budget and left uncertainty around continued funding for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.
Sen. Warner demands DHS explain CISA election security pullback
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner sent a letter to DHS warning that reduced CISA election-security training, intelligence sharing, and cyber assistance could leave the 2026 midterms vulnerable. He requested records and explanations covering election-related warnings, training, incident response, and outreach since January 2025.
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Sources
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Unclassified
ismg-cdn.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com
Open sourceSenator warns CISA election security pullback could leave midterms vulnerable - Nextgov/FCW
nextgov.com
Open sourceHouse OKs Homeland Security spending legislation | brief | SC Media
scworld.com
Open sourceFederal drawdown of election support ‘destroyed’ ongoing relationships, experts say - Nextgov/FCW
nextgov.com
Open sourceHealth-ISAC Hacking Healthcare 4-14-2026
health-isac.org
Open sourceThe case for funding a strong, effective CISA | perspective | SC Media
scworld.com
Open sourceThe case for funding a strong, engaged CISA | perspective | SC Media
scworld.com
Open sourceTrump’s Proposed CISA Cuts Spark Alarm Among Cybersecurity Experts
techrepublic.com
Open sourceTrump proposes cutting CISA election security program in FY27 budget - Nextgov/FCW
nextgov.com
Open sourceTrump administration plans to cut cybersecurity agency's budget by $700 million | TechCrunch
techcrunch.com
Open sourceTrump's Budget Proposal Would Slash CISA After Bruising Year
bankinfosecurity.com
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Federal Cyber Agencies Warn Staffing Cuts Are Constraining Standards and Cyber Defense Missions
Senior officials at **NIST** said significant workforce and budget reductions are forcing the agency to narrow and reprioritize work tied to national security and cybersecurity, including mandates related to **AI**, **cybersecurity**, and **post-quantum encryption**. NIST’s Information Technology Laboratory reported losing roughly **89 staff** over the past year (within a headcount of 289), amid broader agency reductions of **700+ positions**, and warned that additional congressional cuts (including a proposed **$13M** reduction to NIST’s labs program) could further constrain technical programs such as cryptographic testing and validation used for federal procurement and joint validation efforts with the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity. On Capitol Hill, House Homeland Security Committee Democrats pressed **CISA** Acting Director **Madhu Gottumukkala** on major workforce reductions—reported as about **one-third of the agency’s employees** departing over the past 12 months—and whether the agency can sustain its mission under current funding and staffing levels. Gottumukkala defended the reductions as part of a “mission-first” effort to eliminate duplication and align work to statutory authorities, while also signaling **targeted hiring** for key roles but declining to provide lawmakers a clear vacancy count or a definitive answer on whether recently appropriated DHS funding is sufficient for CISA to execute its responsibilities.
Mar 21, 2026
CISA Capacity Degraded by Personnel Cuts, Program Closures, and Leadership Vacancies
Bipartisan lawmakers and private-sector cybersecurity leaders warned that the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (**CISA**) has been significantly weakened after roughly a year of personnel cuts and layoffs under the second Trump administration, with reporting indicating the agency has lost about **one-third of its workforce** and shuttered or reduced entire divisions. Sources described diminished ability to execute core missions such as coordinating with industry and protecting federal civilian networks, with some organizations reportedly seeking alternatives (industry alliances, outside consultants, or direct government-to-government partnerships) rather than relying on CISA support. Reporting also tied the degradation to a prolonged **leadership vacuum**—with the administration’s nominee **Sean Plankey** not confirmed and Acting Director **Madhu Gottumukkala** criticized by some sources as struggling to lead—alongside political and operational pressures that deprioritized the agency. Specific capability impacts cited include reduced **counter-ransomware** efforts, work to promote **secure software development**, and losses affecting **election security** functions; additional strain was attributed to reassignment of staff to other DHS priorities and to a partial federal government shutdown that further reduced available staffing levels, raising concerns about CISA’s readiness to respond to a major cyber crisis.
Mar 21, 2026
CISA Workforce Reductions and Pullback From RSAC Amid Leadership and Mission Refocus
The **Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)** said it will **not participate in the RSA Conference (RSAC)** in March, citing routine reviews of stakeholder engagements and “good stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” and framing the decision as part of a broader effort to return to its statutory “core mission” and align with the Trump administration’s priorities. The move followed the announcement that former CISA Director **Jen Easterly** was named **CEO of the RSAC Conference**, after which senior administration cyber officials reportedly discussed canceling their attendance. Separately, Acting CISA Director **Madhu Gottumukkala** told the House Homeland Security Committee that CISA remains capable of protecting government networks and critical infrastructure despite significant workforce reductions, describing the cuts as intended to eliminate duplication and refocus on mission outcomes. Lawmakers raised questions about impacts to **election security**, broader cybersecurity operations, and implementation of the **Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA)**; Gottumukkala said CISA will continue targeted hiring for mission-critical roles and asserted the agency has the staffing it needs, while an internal report cited in the hearing indicated nearly **1,000 personnel** have departed, been laid off, or transferred since President Trump took office (over one-third of the workforce).
Jan 31, 2026