Election Security Agency Faces Workforce Reductions During Trump’s Second Term

Since returning to the White House, President Trump has overseen a reduction of approximately one-third of the workforce at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the primary federal partner for states on election security.

CISA, established during Trump’s first term, has played a vital role in sharing cybersecurity best practices and intelligence about foreign election-related intentions since the 2016 election. Despite expressing concern about U.S. election security, Trump has made significant cuts to the agency’s election security initiatives during his second term.

In his recent speech, President Trump avoided addressing these cuts directly. He stated, “We will be working closely to mitigate any harm and taking swift action to ensure that sensitive voter data is better protected, so it can never be bought or hacked, and we can never watch it get stolen again.”

Christopher Krebs, the director of CISA during Trump’s first term, was dismissed by the president after confirming the integrity of the 2020 election. Since Trump’s return, CISA’s workforce, which stood at 3,400 in January 2025, has experienced a significant reduction.

In February of last year, over a dozen CISA election security workers were placed on leave as part of an investigation, impacting the morale of the roughly 100 individuals in the division. The agency has lacked a Senate-confirmed leader during Trump’s second presidency.

Other federal entities have also reduced their focus on election security. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have downsized their efforts, including the Foreign Malign Influence Center which monitors foreign election threats under Tulsi Gabbard’s leadership.

Earlier this month, President Trump dismissed the remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission. This independent, bipartisan commission supports states in administering elections and has concentrated much of its recent work on providing cybersecurity assistance.

Dustin Volz, reporting from Washington for The Times, specializes in cybersecurity and intelligence.