Overview

• Sean Plankey, a former Coast Guard officer and cybersecurity expert, has been nominated to head the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
• Plankey previously served in the first Trump administration, holding roles at the National Security Council and the Department of Energy.
• CISA, created in 2018, is tasked with protecting critical U.S. infrastructure, including election systems, but has faced criticism from some Republicans over its handling of misinformation and election security.
• Under the new administration, CISA is conducting a review of its election-related activities, with over a dozen employees placed on administrative leave and $10 million in funding cuts announced for certain cybersecurity programs.
• Plankey's nomination requires Senate confirmation, with no date yet scheduled for the vote.