The Trump administration has initiated sweeping cuts to federal election security programs, raising concerns about the integrity of future U.S. elections.
In a dramatic shift, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced an immediate halt to "all election security activities" pending an internal review. The agency also terminated funding for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), which helps state and local officials monitor and respond to election system cyberattacks.
Key election security staff members at CISA, including regional advisers and the Election Resilience team, have been placed on leave facing potential termination. These experts previously provided critical on-ground support to election workers and communicated security information to officials.
The Department of Justice dealt another blow by disbanding the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force, originally established to counter Russian interference in U.S. elections. This comes despite recent evidence of foreign threats - including bomb threats from Russian domains targeting polling locations and Iranian hackers accessing campaign documents in 2024.
The Federal Election Commission also faces unprecedented changes, with attempts to remove its chair occurring just as the commission prepares to review 2024 campaign finance complaints, many involving Elon Musk's contributions to the Trump campaign.
State and local election officials have historically relied on these federal programs for cybersecurity tools and assistance. With federal protections diminishing, state and local governments may need to develop new strategies to secure election infrastructure and protect voters' rights in upcoming elections.
The Department of Homeland Security is expected to announce its final decisions regarding CISA's election security initiatives on March 6, though experts anticipate permanent reductions in the agency's election security role.