Trump Administration Directs CISA to Secretly Hack Voting Machines

Political appointees at the Department of Homeland Security directed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to secretly procure and hack a voting machine during the second term of President Donald Trump. The appointees ordered CISA to report any findings directly to the White House and explicitly forbade the agency from alerting the machine manufacturer about discovered flaws.

CISA career staff resisted the directive, citing concerns over political interference and a critical shortage of personnel. This staffing crisis followed layoffs driven by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which reduced the CISA workforce by approximately one-third. Additionally, the administration proposed a $700 million budget cut for the agency for 2027.

State election officials report a breakdown in trust after the administration declassified sensitive, confidential data previously shared by the states. While Acting Director Nick Andersen released a 13-page security plan for the 2026 midterms on September 24, state officials described the effort as too little, too late. Other administration actions include the seizure of election machines in Puerto Rico overseen by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and attempts by Department of Justice officials to gain access to voting machines from local clerks in Missouri.