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

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TLDR

  • Sean Plankey withdrew his CISA director nomination on April 22, 2026, after Sen. Rick Scott blocked confirmation over an unrelated Coast Guard contract dispute.

Key Takeaways

  • Plankey submitted his withdrawal letter to the White House on April 22 after over a year of failed Senate confirmation efforts.
  • Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) blocked the nomination over a Coast Guard contract matter, not cybersecurity qualifications.
  • CISA is now on its second acting director: Madhu Gottumukkala departed in February 2026, replaced by Nick Andersen.
  • The Trump administration proposed cutting CISA’s budget by over $700 million, citing concerns about alleged 2020 election misinformation “censorship.”
  • The agency has operated through government shutdowns, staff furloughs, and repeated leadership turnover since early 2025.

Why It Matters

  • CISA has had no confirmed permanent director for over a year while facing active cyberattacks against U.S. government systems.
  • Budget cuts and leadership instability compound each other: acting directors have reduced political capital to resist further cuts or defend the agency’s mandate.
  • A nomination blocked for a non-cybersecurity reason signals that CISA confirmation has become a political bargaining chip rather than a merit process.

TechCrunch · 2026-04-23 · Read the original