The head of the US Cybersecurity Agency will leave before Trump takes over
- Jen Easterly will leave her position as director of CISA before Trump takes office
- CISA’s future is uncertain under Trump, who has criticized the department in the past
- There is no news yet about Easterly’s successor
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly will leave her post before President Trump returns to office on January 20, 2025, putting the agency’s future in doubt.
CISA is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and improving the U.S. government’s defenses against cybercriminals and state actors, who are increasingly targeting U.S. agencies to exfiltrate data and disrupt services.
Easterly held a number of security positions before taking on the role of director of CISA, including senior director of counterterrorism at the National Security Council and Global Head of Cybersecurity at Morgan Stanley. Her departure leaves the agency’s fate uncertain.
Cut and burn
Given the number of eyebrow-raising cabinet appointments proposed by the president-elect, it is difficult to predict who could fill the position in 2025 and beyond.
CISA was created during Trump’s first term, but its consistent commitment to deregulation could limit the agency’s ability to enforce cybersecurity standards.
Following the Republican party’s narrow Senate election victory, Senator Rand Paul will take over as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which will oversee CISA. Paul, a staunch libertarian and critic of CISA, previously accused the agency of infringing on freedom of expression as part of its efforts to combat digital disinformation.
Trump is likely to increase military spending in his second term, but most other agencies face severe budget cuts in the coming years. Although cybersecurity falls under the umbrella of defense, it will likely be one of the countries that miss out on funding.
Governments around the world are facing a dramatic increase in cyber attacks. Government organizations see a 236% increase in malware attacks. So cybersecurity will be an important consideration for the foreseeable future.
Via Next Government
