Trump’s pick to run US cyber agency CISA asks to drop out

Source: TechCrunch

Image Credits: Tom Williams / CQ‑Roll Call / Getty Images

Nomination Withdrawal

Trump’s twice‑chosen pick to run the U.S. federal cybersecurity agency CISA has requested to withdraw from the position, leaving the agency without a permanent leader.

In a letter to the White House on Wednesday, Sean Plankey asked that the Trump administration withdraw his nomination, citing a hold‑up in the Senate, which must vote to approve his appointment. Plankey said it has “become clear” that the Senate will not confirm him, more than a year after he was first nominated (see original nomination).

The New York Times published a copy of Plankey’s letter on Thursday. Politico first reported his decision to withdraw (see Politico article). Both outlets noted that Plankey was unlikely to secure a majority vote because Sen. Rick Scott (R‑FL) was blocking his nomination over a Coast Guard contract unrelated to cybersecurity. Plankey previously served as a senior advisor to Coast Guard leadership.

Acting Director

Nick Andersen has been the acting director of CISA since the departure of Madhu Gottumukkala in February. Gottumukkala was appointed in May 2025 to oversee the agency on a temporary basis, but left less than a year later after a tumultuous tenure (details).

Agency Challenges

CISA is tasked by Congress with cybersecurity defense and infrastructure protection across the civilian federal government. The agency has faced a challenging year (see analysis), including:

• At least three government shutdowns
• Several rounds of furloughs
• Budget cuts and staff reductions directed by the White House

These pressures have come despite a raft of cyberattacks (see recent attacks) against the U.S. government and its allies (see broader impact).

Budget Cuts

Earlier this month, the Trump administration requested to slash CISA’s budget by more than $700 million (budget cuts story). The cuts were justified by claims that the agency was engaged in “censorship,” referring to CISA’s efforts to counter election misinformation during the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost.

Response

A White House spokesperson did not immediately comment on whether the administration has accepted Plankey’s request to withdraw his nomination, nor on who might be nominated as the agency’s permanent director.