The Trump administration has initiated a full-scale reassessment of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) role in election oversight, leading to backlash from media outlets that once championed the agency’s expanded authority. Originally formed to protect critical infrastructure, CISA became a central player in online speech monitoring, working with tech companies to police election-related discussions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office confirmed that all election-related activities within CISA are now under review. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has argued that the agency drifted from its mission, stating that Congress may need to take legislative action to curb its overreach.
Documents from congressional investigations have revealed that CISA collaborated with outside organizations to pressure social media platforms into censoring certain viewpoints. The Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), created at CISA’s request, flagged social media posts — including satirical content and political commentary — for removal.
Major media outlets have responded with alarm, portraying the administration’s actions as dangerous. Politico described the review as a “federal purge” of government officials combating “disinformation.” Wired framed the move as an attempt to accommodate “Trump’s false claims” about election fraud. Meanwhile, VoteBeat claimed that election officials were concerned about the future of election security.
Under previous leadership, CISA justified its speech-monitoring programs by claiming the agency needed to protect Americans’ “cognitive infrastructure.” Reports show that under the Biden administration, CISA also worked directly with Pennsylvania officials to monitor online discussions, flagging topics it deemed election threats.
One of Trump’s first executive orders upon returning to office focused on shutting down government-led censorship efforts. With CISA under review, its authority over election-related matters appears likely to be significantly reduced in the coming months.
