Election Security
Trump’s intelligence pick pressed on 2020 election, defends handling of New York Times subpoenas
Jay Clayton faced Democratic criticism after repeatedly declining to say Joe Biden won in 2020 and standing by subpoenas issued by his Manhattan prosecutor’s office to four New York Times journalists.
Feds tie counterterrorism grants to election security measures
The new guidance from FEMA would require states to take various steps on elections before receiving funds. Government groups criticized the move as an overreach.
Trump empties out election commission leadership just months before midterms
The shake-up raises questions about voting system certification, federal election security coordination, and the commission’s ability to approve key policy decisions.
Hackers are already laying groundwork to disrupt the 2026 midterms, research says
The report from cybersecurity firm Check Point lands as the Trump administration pushes new voting rules and intelligence officials face questions about how they are handling foreign election threats.
ODNI assigns two officials to lead intelligence coordination on election threats
For months, it was unclear if ODNI ever named an election threats executive responsible for leading election security efforts in the 2026 midterm cycle.
Senator warns CISA election security pullback could leave midterms vulnerable
Mark Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, pressed DHS over reports that states are no longer receiving the same cybersecurity and protection support ahead of the 2026 elections.
Federal drawdown of election support ‘destroyed’ ongoing relationships, experts say
A House hearing highlighted warnings from state officials and other experts who say the Trump administration’s dismantling of CISA’s election work damages trust and coordination before the 2026 midterms.
Trump’s goal to create state-by-state citizenship lists isn’t feasible, experts say
A Tuesday executive order mandating that DHS create state-by-state citizenship lists is Trump’s latest effort to exert some control over state-run elections.
Trump signs executive order setting rules for mail-in voting and eligibility lists
The president has long disputed the mail-in voting process since his 2020 election run. The order is very likely to face legal challenges.
Annual intelligence assessment doesn’t address foreign threats to US elections
In a hearing to discuss the assessment, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also offered mixed signals about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, with her written testimony differing from spoken remarks.
Gabbard’s expanded role in election security draws scrutiny
Since the start of the year, the White House chief of staff and DHS secretary have met multiple times to discuss election security, and DNI Tulsi Gabbard has been present in at least one of those meetings, according to a U.S. official.
Trump nominee to lead NSA commits to backing controversial spying law
Lt. Gen. Josh Rudd also promised to prioritize NSA efforts to protect U.S. elections.
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CISA budget bill would require agency to maintain ‘sufficient’ staffing levels
The congressional justification diverges from steps taken last year to curb the agency’s workforce and election security footprint.
Defense authorization bill includes billions for cyber, intelligence matters
The NDAA notably deviates partly from President Donald Trump’s national security strategy, which seeks some distance between the U.S. and Europe. It also makes a sweeping regulatory harmonization demand.
DHS expanding citizenship system for voter verification, despite concerns about potential disenfranchisement
Twenty-six states are in line to use a revamped DHS system to check their voter rolls for non-citizens, although the network has raised concerns about privacy and accuracy — including if it could kick eligible voters off the rolls.
Senators call for election security briefing as major races draw closer
“We are concerned that you may have directed the Intelligence Community (IC) to cease its intelligence reporting on this vital topic,” the senators wrote to the director of national intelligence in a Monday letter.
Trump signs order targeting former CISA head Chris Krebs
Krebs previously led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and contradicted baseless claims President Donald Trump made in 2020 that the election that year was rigged against him.
Democrats push Justice Department to keep Election Threats Task Force amid rollbacks
The task force was created to help protect election officials from stalking and threats, but its future remains in question after the Trump administration scrapped other election integrity initiatives.
What’s next for cybersecurity, election info sharing?
Federal funding has been slashed by $10 million for two information sharing centers, which both have tens of thousands of members. A more fragmented and expensive future could follow as states and others go it alone.
How much did AI really impact the election?
AI tools can produce realistic deepfakes and synthetic audio that influence public opinion.
