The Trump administration has placed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under review, drawing a strong response from media figures who have defended the agency’s controversial role in election oversight. Created to protect critical infrastructure, CISA expanded beyond its cybersecurity mission and into monitoring speech surrounding elections.
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office confirmed that all election-related functions within CISA are being reassessed, including its coordination with social media companies to flag posts deemed “misinformation.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated in her Senate hearing that the agency had “gone far off mission” and needed to be reined in.
Investigative reports have detailed how CISA played an active role in shaping online discussions. The agency worked with the State Department’s Global Engagement Center and Stanford University to identify and suppress content ahead of the 2020 election. The Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), created at CISA’s request, flagged political posts for removal — even when they contained factual information that was deemed problematic.
Corporate media outlets have reacted with outrage, framing the review as an attack on election security. Politico called it “Trump’s latest federal purge,” while Wired accused the administration of enabling “false claims.” VoteBeat suggested that without CISA’s oversight, states may struggle to manage election security risks.
Under the Biden administration, CISA worked to normalize government involvement in online speech regulation, with former director Jen Easterly describing the agency’s role as protecting the public’s “cognitive infrastructure.” Reports also revealed that CISA partnered with Pennsylvania officials to monitor election-related content and flag posts it considered misleading.
Trump’s executive order banning federal censorship has already begun reshaping government agencies, and CISA’s role in elections appears to be shrinking. As the administration pushes forward with its review, attention is shifting to how the agency’s authority will be redefined.
