In a notable development, the United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has suspended all election security initiatives, representing a substantial shift in federal oversight regarding election integrity. This decision arises as the agency conducts an extensive review of its election security programs over the past eight years.

This alteration signifies the first distinct occurrence of President Donald Trump’s administration modifying federal policy in accordance with his persistent allegations of election fraud. The cessation of CISA’s election security initiatives is generating apprehension among state and local election officials, who have depended on the agency’s expertise to protect their systems against cyber threats and misinformation campaigns.

CISA Freezes All Election Security Work Pending Investigation

According to an internal memo sent to CISA employees, the agency has paused all election security activities while conducting a thorough review of its past work. The memo, written by acting director Bridget Bean, calls for an assessment of every program, initiative, and service that CISA has provided since the federal government first designated election systems as critical infrastructure in 2017.

"Effective immediately, CISA will pause all election security activities until the completion of this review," Bean wrote. The review will include every election security-related position, as well as the agency’s work in countering misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM).

Additionally, funding has been cut for the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing & Analysis Center, a critical program that has helped coordinate election security efforts across state and local governments.

Employees Placed on Leave Amid Scrutiny of Past Election Efforts

As part of the ongoing review, several CISA employees who were directly involved in election security initiatives have been placed on administrative leave. The move has sparked concerns that Trump’s administration is targeting individuals who played key roles in securing previous elections.

Bean, who temporarily leads the agency, emphasized that this step is necessary to ensure that CISA’s role remains strictly focused on its core mission—cyber and physical security. However, the timing of the move, just weeks into Trump’s new term, has led to speculation that it is a direct response to his long-standing claims of election fraud.

Trump’s Executive Order Drives Shift in Election Security Policies

The review comes in response to Trump’s recent executive order on “ending federal censorship,” which aims to prevent government agencies from working with social media companies to identify misinformation.

Conservative lawmakers and Trump allies have repeatedly accused CISA of overstepping its role by engaging in efforts to counter election-related misinformation. Some have even labeled the agency as the “nerve center” of federal censorship. While CISA has denied engaging in censorship, its past collaborations with tech companies to combat election-related falsehoods have been a point of contention.

With Trump’s administration now firmly in control, the shift in CISA’s approach was expected. However, many election officials worry that dismantling CISA’s election security functions will leave the nation vulnerable to cyber threats and disinformation campaigns ahead of future elections.

State and Local Election Officials Left Without Key Security Resources

For years, CISA has provided state and local election officials with essential resources to strengthen election security. Through on-site consultations and digital security measures, the agency has helped election administrators protect voting infrastructure from cyberattacks, prevent disruptions at polling stations, and develop contingency plans for emergencies.

Election security has become increasingly challenging, with officials facing funding shortages, rising cyber threats, and even personal harassment. Many election supervisors—both Democrats and Republicans—have credited CISA for its apolitical support in helping them maintain election integrity.

However, the 2020 election brought heightened political scrutiny to CISA’s role. As Trump and his allies pushed unproven claims of widespread voter fraud, some conservative election officials began questioning the agency’s work. This skepticism, combined with Republican lawmakers' criticism of CISA’s approach to misinformation, set the stage for the current rollback of its election security functions.

Republican Lawmakers Push for an Overhaul of Election Security Oversight

Since the 2020 election, Republican leaders in Congress have repeatedly called for changes in how federal agencies handle election security. Their concerns have centered around allegations that CISA and other agencies played a role in shaping narratives about election integrity, particularly by working with social media platforms to combat misinformation.

Following Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, his administration has moved quickly to eliminate programs and policies that it views as overreach. The decision to review and potentially eliminate certain CISA election security initiatives aligns with this broader agenda.

What’s Next? The Future of Federal Election Security Efforts

As CISA conducts its internal review, the agency will submit a report to the White House outlining a revised approach to election security. This report will focus on:

1. Streamlining election security services to ensure they align with CISA’s core cybersecurity and infrastructure protection mission.
2. Eliminating programs or roles that are perceived as exceeding the agency’s authority, particularly those related to countering misinformation.
3. Ensuring compliance with Trump’s executive order by removing personnel, contracts, and activities that could be interpreted as “censorship.”

While it remains unclear whether White House officials directly ordered the review, the implications of this policy shift are significant. With the federal government stepping back from its election security role, the responsibility will now fall more heavily on individual states and local jurisdictions.

As the review progresses, election officials across the country will be watching closely to see what federal support, if any, will remain available. With the next major election cycle on the horizon, the debate over election security is far from over.