# Trump appointees asked federal cybersecurity agency to secretly acquire a voting machine and hack it

> Trump administration requested CISA to secretly hack voting machines, sparking fears of election interference.
- Title: Trump appointees asked federal cybersecurity agency to…
- Summary: Trump administration requested CISA to secretly hack voting machines, sparking fears of election interference. Trump appointees asked CISA to secretly…
- Keywords: trump, cisa, voting machines, election security, white house, midterms, election interference, cybersecurity, news, politics, appointees, asked
- Source: Salon — https://salon.com/2026/10/26/trump-appointees-asked-federal-cybersecurity-agency-to-secretly-acquire-a-voting-machine-and-hack-it
- Author: Andy Mannix
- Published: 2026-10-26T10:00:15+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: trump, cisa, voting machines, election security, white house, midterms, election interference, cybersecurity, news, politics
## Trump appointees requested CISA
Trump appointees asked federal cybersecurity agency to secretly acquire a voting machine and hack it.
## CISA employees alarmed
CISA career staffers found the request shocking as it contradicted the agency’s mission to protect elections.
## CISA staff refused request
CISA employees repeatedly told political appointees their request was impossible due to staff layoffs.
## CISA staff cuts
Trump administration laid off over 1,000 CISA employees, shrinking the agency by one-third.
## Budget cuts planned
Trump’s 2027 budget would reduce CISA funding by $700 million, risking 900 more layoffs.
## State officials report no help
Several state election authorities said CISA provided no assistance during critical midterm planning.
## CISA’s role in 2020 election
CISA vouched for 2020 election integrity, calling it the most secure in American history.
## Trump fired CISA director
Trump fired CISA director Chris Krebs after he publicly rebutted election claims.
## CISA staff cuts continued
Trump administration cut funding for election security technology, blinding federal government to breaches.
## 2026 midterms preparation
By July 2026, CISA had disappeared from election security planning for midterms.
## Trump’s election speech
Trump made unsubstantiated claims about election security, mocking CISA’s 2020 defense.
## State officials distrust CISA
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said he no longer trusts federal government to share election data.
## CISA’s security plan
CISA published a 13-page security plan for 2026 midterms, but state officials called it too late.
## CISA’s role in 2020 election
CISA vouched for 2020 election integrity, calling it the most secure in American history.
## CISA’s security plan
CISA published a 13-page security plan for 2026 midterms, but state officials called it too late.
## CISA’s security plan
CISA published a 13-page security plan for 2026 midterms, but state officials called it too late.
## Key takeaway

Trump appointees asked CISA to secretly acquire and hack voting machines, undermining election security.