CISA faces budget cuts, workforce loss amid cyber threats

The federal government’s largest cybersecurity agency is seeing a growing number of employees exit as the Trump Administration proposes budget cuts.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) helps to protect public infrastructure such as power grids and water utilities, as well as election systems, from cyber attacks. However, the agency has now seen roughly a third of it’s employees leave during the second Trump Administration.

CISA is also facing a potential 17% budget cut under the President’s proposed budget, raising fears that public infrastructure could be left without a well-equipped federal partner as cyber threats mount. The White House suggested cutting CISA’s workforce by 1,083 positions, from 3,732 employees to 2,649 roles, during fiscal year 2026 in its proposed budget.

Dr. Nadya Bliss, Executive Director at ASU’s Global Security Initiative, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the growing concerns over the loss of jobs and budget cuts at CISA, and what dangers it could present to the nation.

The CISA is a reasonably new agency created to address emerging threats in cybersecurity.

Bliss explains why the CISA is a major asset when she said, “I was watching the news getting ready and they were talking about the cyberattack on the supply chain affecting supermarkets. So yes, it’s definitely a challenging time in cybersecurity.”

“The budgets are still in midst of discussions. but I do think this is an area that is very important to prioritize federal investments. I also see it, our nation adversary,” Bliss said, further elaborating on her the agency’s future.