People
Air Force’s acting CTO officially assumes permanent position
Scott Heitmann has been serving in the acting role since former Air Force CTO Jay Bondi departed the military branch in October.
Cybersecurity
FBI asks public for tips about Salt Typhoon telecom hacks
Salt Typhoon accessed at least nine U.S. telecom firms and their systems that facilitate legal access requests for law enforcement.
People
NSF director resigns
Sethuraman Panchanathan confirmed his resignation to NSF employees and the public in two separate statements.
Artificial Intelligence
Trump unveils sweeping order to bring AI into US education
The executive order forms a new task force and leverages existing grant programs focused on improving AI education in the U.S.
Cybersecurity
Top intelligence lawmaker fears China may exploit DOGE’s changes to government
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., also called out the Trump administration on the recent firing of NSA Director Timothy Haugh, a move he viewed as “puzzling.”
Ideas
Driving efficiency while improving federal agencies’ cybersecurity postures
COMMENTARY | A lopsided labor-to-technology spending ratio is just one challenge agencies have to take on.
Digital Government
Transportation consolidates IT personnel and decision-making
Two memos document a new organizational structure that establishes the CIO as the point person for all IT activity across the agency’s various subcomponents.
Policy
State Department moves cyber and intelligence bureaus under agencywide reorg
Some 15% of the agency’s domestic staff will be eliminated as part of the reorganization announced Tuesday.
Ideas
Transforming federal IT: best practices for driving software innovation
Software development is accelerating.
Policy
NSF cancels over 400 grants covering disinformation, deepfakes and STEM education
Some $328 million worth of research grants to institutions was canned amid a broader restructuring of the National Science Foundation. Disinformation research and empowerment of underprivileged people in STEM fields were prime targets.
People
OPM proposes rule to formally revive Schedule F
The federal government’s dedicated HR agency estimates that 50,000 federal workers will be stripped of their civil service protections and become at-will employees.
Emerging Tech
Celebrating Citizen Science Month with new government-sponsored projects
NASA is contributing to the One Million Acts of Science event, which seeks to encourage people to participate in various scientific projects and rack up one million individual contributions by the end of the month.
People
CISA officials who led Secure by Design initiative resign
Bob Lord and Lauren Zabierek are the latest to depart the cyber agency, as DOGE-fueled cuts and broader Trump reduction plans have placed it in the crosshairs.
Policy
US urging allies to cease talks with Chinese satellite industry
Internal talking points also give State Department officials guidance on how to respond to allies’ concerns about SpaceX’s Starlink.
Policy
NSF begins terminating select grant funding
Research projects that are deemed to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion or that aim to combat mis- and disinformation will no longer receive funding from the National Science Foundation.
Digital Government
DOGE is building a ‘master database’ of sensitive information, top Oversight Democrat says
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., is calling on the Social Security Administration’s watchdog to investigate whistleblower claims that the efficiency team is compiling potentially sensitive data across several government agencies.
Breaking News
People
White House extends federal hiring freeze until July for most
The Trump administration’s halt on federal civilian hiring, which was supposed to be lifted Monday, will be extended through July, per a memo released late Thursday.
Cybersecurity
CISA warns threat hunting staff of end to Google, Censys contracts as agency cuts set in
“We understand the importance of these tools in our operations and are actively exploring alternative tools to ensure minimal disruption,” said the email sent to several hundred CISA cyber threat hunters.
Artificial Intelligence
SSA is rolling out a new chatbot for employees
The agency has said that it intends to use technology and AI to make up for workforce cuts.
Artificial Intelligence