The agency responsible for defending America’s civilian digital infrastructure is getting smaller at precisely the moment the threats are getting smarter. CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, has shed roughly 1,000 employees since January 2025, amounting to about one-third of its total workforce.
The numbers tell a grim story
The Trump administration’s proposed FY2026 budget calls for a 17% funding cut to CISA, translating to approximately $420 to $495 million less in operational spending. The agency plans to eliminate 1,083 positions under that proposal, and a further $707 million cut has been floated for FY2027.
Specific divisions are absorbing disproportionate damage. The Stakeholder Engagement Division, which coordinates directly with private-sector operators, has lost 96 of its 189 staff members. That’s a 62% reduction in the team whose entire job is helping companies defend themselves.
The National Risk Management Center faces a 73% budget cut. Support for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, known as MS-ISAC, has been reduced by $10 million. Funding for the Elections Infrastructure ISAC has been eliminated entirely.
