CISA is getting a new acting director after less than a year

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, is getting a new acting director, as reported by ABC, less than a year after Madhu Gottumukkala took charge of the agency as deputy director and acting director in May 2025. CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity, Nick Andersen, will become the agency’s new acting director while Gottumkkala will now be serving as director of strategic implementation at DHS. The leadership change comes just a month after reports that Gottumkkala uploaded sensitive documents to ChatGPT. Gottumkkala had requested special permission to use ChatGPT, despite the AI being off-limits for other DHS employees. Gottumkkala’s departure follows a downturn at CISA over the past year as the agency has been “gutted and politicized” by the Trump administration, resulting in budget cuts, layoffs, and wavering trust from local leaders. CISA is also still without a Senate-confirmed director. Trump nominated Sean Plankey for the role last year, then renominated him in January. Plankey previously served in the first Trump administration.