Sean Plankey withdraws nomination for US cyber agency CISA

Sean Plankey has requested to withdraw his nomination to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the U.S. federal cybersecurity agency. CISA is tasked by Congress with cybersecurity defense and infrastructure protection across the civilian federal government. In a letter sent to the White House on Wednesday, Plankey requested that the Trump administration withdraw his nomination, stating that it has “become clear” the Senate will not confirm his appointment. This request comes more than a year after Plankey was first nominated to lead the agency. The New York Times published a copy of Plankey’s letter on Thursday.

The withdrawal follows a blockade in the Senate, where Plankey was unlikely to reach the majority vote needed for his confirmation. Politico first reported Plankey’s decision to withdraw, noting that Senator Rick Scott was blocking the nomination over a Coast Guard contract unrelated to cybersecurity. Plankey had previously served as a senior adviser to Coast Guard leadership, making the dispute a central obstacle to his appointment.

The leadership vacancy leaves CISA without a permanent director. Nick Andersen has been serving as the acting director of CISA since the departure of Madhu Gottumukkala in February. Gottumukkala was appointed in May 2025 to oversee the agency on a temporary basis but left less than a year later after a “tumultuous tenure” in the role. The agency has faced a challenging year, following at least three government shutdowns, several rounds of furloughs, and budget cuts and staff reductions as directed by the White House, despite a raft of cyberattacks facing the U.S. government and its allies over the past year.

The ongoing vacancy comes as CISA faces significant financial and political pressure. Earlier this month, the Trump administration requested to slash CISA’s budget by more than $700 million. This proposed budget cut occurs amid allegations of “censorship” involving the agency, referring to CISA’s efforts to counter election misinformation during the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost. A White House spokesperson did not immediately comment on whether the administration has accepted Plankey’s request to withdraw, nor did they state who the administration plans to nominate as the agency’s permanent director.

Why it matters

The withdrawal leaves CISA without a permanent leader during a period of significant budget pressure and political scrutiny. This vacancy complicates the agency’s ability to manage U.S. cybersecurity defense.