CISA faces $707 million budget cut in new Trump administration plan

The Trump administration has unveiled an omnibus budget proposal—a legislative package that bundles multiple budget items, including the privatization of airport security—that plans to cut the budget of CISA (the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) by at least $707 million for the 2027 fiscal year. The proposal was released late last week.

The administration claims the budget reduction will refocus CISA’s core mission on securing federal civilian networks and protecting critical infrastructure. The document asserts that the proposal would remove duplicative programs, such as school safety initiatives, that already exist at the state and federal level. However, the administration also alleged that CISA was “focused on censorship,” likely referring to the agency’s efforts to counter misinformation during the 2020 presidential election. The administration claims the reduction will steer the agency away from “weaponization and waste.” Since taking office for a second term in 2025, President Trump and his administration have repeated what the source describes as “false and repeatedly debunked claims” that CISA “engaged in censorship” and “attacked the president’s perceived critics.” These critics include Chris Krebs, the agency’s inaugural director whom Trump originally appointed.

If passed, the proposal would bring CISA’s operating budget down to about $2 billion. This follows a year of staff reductions and layoffs at the agency, leaving it in what security experts and lawmakers have warned is already dire shape. The agency has faced previous budget battles, including a proposed cut of close to $500 million last year—representing around 17% of its federal budget. Lawmakers pushed back on those cuts, negotiating the final reduction down to about $135 million. Additionally, CISA has lacked a Senate-confirmed permanent director—a political appointment requiring approval by the U.S. Senate—since Trump took office again in 2025.

These proposed cuts arrive amid a challenging security environment for federal infrastructure. Over the past year, the U.S. government has experienced several major cyber incidents. These include a suspected Russian breach of the U.S. Courts filing system, Chinese attacks targeting federal government departments, and Iranian hackers who leaked the personal email of FBI director Kash Patel.

Why it matters

The proposed budget cut would reduce CISA’s operating budget to approximately $2 billion, following a year of staff reductions and layoffs. Security experts have warned that the agency is already in dire shape.