Trump's CISA nominee Sean Plankey withdraws from consideration

Sean Plankey, President Trump's nominee to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, has requested that the administration withdraw his nomination, leaving the agency without a permanent director. In a letter to the White House on Wednesday, Plankey cited a holdup in the Senate, which must vote to confirm his appointment. He said it has become clear that the Senate will not confirm him more than a year after he was first nominated. The New York Times published a copy of the letter on Thursday. Politico first reported the withdrawal. Both publications said Plankey was unlikely to reach the majority vote needed for confirmation because Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) was blocking his nomination over a Coast Guard contract unrelated to cybersecurity. Plankey previously served as a senior adviser to Coast Guard leadership. Nick Andersen has been the acting director of CISA since February, after the departure of Madhu Gottumukkala, who was appointed on a temporary basis in May 2025. The agency has faced government shutdowns, furloughs, budget cuts, and staff reductions over the past year. Earlier this month, the Trump administration requested to slash CISA's budget by more than $700 million.