President Trump has proposed shutting down the disinformation offices and programs of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), asserting that he played a role in censoring both himself and his supporters in the White House budget request.
In the budget proposal released on Friday, the administration claimed that CISA’s disinformation office was acting as a “hub for censorship industrial facilities.”
According to the White House, CISA was primarily focused on collaborating with major technology firms, which they believe exceeded the significance of the nation’s critical infrastructures. They noted that even CISA’s own systems had fallen victim to attacks.
Established in 2018 during the Trump administration, CISA is responsible for safeguarding the country’s infrastructure, particularly its electoral processes, and operates under the Department of Homeland Security.
The proposed cuts aim to reduce the agency’s budget by about $491 million, which translates to nearly a 16% decrease from last year’s funding of roughly $3 billion.
Trump and several Republican allies have accused CISA of collaborating with social media platforms to suppress conservative views. The new budget proposal supports the idea that these changes are meant to address the “weaponization of the federal government.”
The fact sheet accompanying the proposal insists that under Trump’s leadership, CISA should focus on protecting vital infrastructure instead of censoring citizens. It emphasizes cutting waste and eliminating the agency’s alleged misuse, while upholding its core mission of defending federal networks and aiding critical infrastructure partners.
Trump and his supporters have also expressed concerns over CISA’s attempts to manage misinformation related to the 2020 election. Notably, Trump dismissed former CISA director Christopher Krebs shortly after Krebs publicly contradicted the president’s false claims of election fraud. Earlier this month, the administration initiated an investigation into Krebs, revoking his security clearance.
Reports suggest the administration is planning workforce reductions at CISA as part of a broader initiative to downsize the federal government, though the timeline for these changes remains unclear.
Trump has criticized Sean Plankey as the next director of CISA, but his confirmation is still pending due to a hold placed by Senator Ron Wyden.
CISA has been contacted for additional comments.
