People

SpaceX alum tapped as Interior CIO

Interior is the latest federal agency to undergo leadership turnover in its technology shop since Trump took office in January.

Emerging Tech

Former NSF heads criticize funding, staff cuts at science agency

Former National Science Foundation and National Science Board leads sent a letter to congressional leadership saying the cuts to the agency run contrary to the Trump administration’s priorities.

Acquisition

GSA’s new procurement strategy challenges the reseller ecosystem

Skepticism about OneGov is emerging as the government pushes for more direct relationships with original equipment manufacturers.

Digital Government

Here are the tech takeaways from Trump’s budget proposal

The White House has suggested sweeping reductions to many civilian agencies, though it promises to maintain investments in emerging technologies.

People

Treasury’s acting CIO to depart

The change leaves the Treasury Department’s tech leadership bench practically empty.

Cybersecurity

Top NSC official wants to normalize offensive hacking as tool of US might

At the RSAC Conference, Alexei Bulazel said hacking back against adversaries could be the new norm for America’s cyber strategy. He signaled support for various federal cyber offices, but acknowledged they’d be geared in the direction of Trump-era goals.

Modernization

VA tech panel’s top Democrat worries layoffs will harm EHR rollout

Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., is concerned that staffing vacancies, coupled with the department’s reduction in force plans, will put “more pressure onto the VA to execute on an expedited calendar for implementation” of its new EHR system.

Emerging Tech

Companies announce billions in investments to support emerging tech

The new corporate investments pledged to U.S. manufacturing aim to support the country’s growing artificial intelligence innovation ecosystem, among others.

Exclusive Cybersecurity

Democrats worry DOGE may have violated privacy, cybersecurity law in taking NLRB data

Last month, a whistleblower accused DOGE affiliates of using secretive methods to take sensitive data from the National Labor Relations Board.

People

House Republicans advance plan to cut federal worker benefits and undermine civil service protections

One Republican who voted against the measure said efforts to reduce existing federal workers’ pension benefits will fail if put to a vote before the full House.

Cybersecurity

FBI awaits signal that Salt Typhoon is fully excised from telecom firms, official says

FBI Deputy Director for Cyber Operations Brett Leatherman said that "there’s a lot of work focused on containment" when it comes to the Salt Typhoon hacks.

Cybersecurity

Salt Typhoon hacks ‘a wake up call’ to secure telecom services, lawmakers say

The Cyber Safety Review Board was in the middle of investigating the Salt Typhoon hacks when it was disbanded in January. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said the board’s termination “leaves in limbo” the government’s probe into the breach.

People

Meet the former feds organizing against purported DOGE ‘destroyers’

We the Builders, a group of current and former federal employees, is trying to spread information and support feds under Trump 2.0.

Cybersecurity

Watchdog cites potential improvements for State’s cyber diplomacy office amid agency reorg

The Government Accountability Office noted that the reorganization of the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy could remove it from the direct line to leadership it enjoyed while under the Deputy Secretary’s office.

People

A DOGE aide involved in CFPB cuts owns stock prohibited by ethics laws 

Gavin Kliger, a 25-year-old DOGE employee tasked with assisting in the recent rollout of more than 1,400 RIF notices at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau owns stock in several companies overseen by the agency.

Cybersecurity

‘Just wait’ to see how CISA reforms play out, DHS head tells cyber community

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has vowed to rework America’s core cyber defense agency amid GOP accusations of conservative censorship. Many in the cyber community have deemed the reductions a national security risk.

Acquisition

GSA unveils new unified procurement strategy

The General Services Administration aims to streamline the federal buyer-seller relationship with the launch of the new initiative.

Modernization

House lawmakers diverge on DOGE but point to bipartisanship on federal tech

Many of the witnesses opted not to discuss DOGE’s high-profile, controversial work on government tech and data during a Tuesday hearing.

Cybersecurity

Salt Typhoon hacks to influence final round of DARPA’s AI-cyber competition

This summer, seven teams will compete to craft a best-case model that uses AI to detect and fix open-source vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. Recently discovered Chinese telecom hacks will help shape the final round, a top DARPA official said.