Trump’s nominee for the U.S. federal cybersecurity agency CISA has retracted his nomination, leaving the agency without a permanent leader.
In a letter to the White House, Sean Plankey asked for his nomination to be withdrawn, citing delays in the Senate vote required for approval.
Plankey stated that Senate confirmation is unlikely, over a year after his nomination.
The New York Times released Plankey’s letter, while Politico reported his decision to withdraw. Both indicated that Plankey wouldn’t secure the necessary majority vote due to Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-FL) opposition over an unrelated Coast Guard contract. Plankey was a senior advisor in the Coast Guard.
Nick Andersen has been acting CISA director since Madhu Gottumukkala’s departure in February. Gottumukkala, appointed in May 2025, left after a difficult term.
CISA is responsible for cybersecurity defense and infrastructure protection for the federal government. The agency faced hurdles with government shutdowns, furloughs, budget cuts, and layoffs dictated by the White House, despite ongoing cyberattacks on the U.S. government and allies.
Earlier, the Trump administration proposed a $700 million budget cut for CISA, alleging “censorship” related to CISA’s efforts against election misinformation during the 2020 election, which Trump lost.
The White House did not comment on whether it accepted Plankey’s withdrawal or who might be nominated as the permanent director.