Trump Nominates Palantir CISO Michael LoSapio to Lead CISA
Summary
The White House sent Michael LoSapio’s nomination to lead CISA to the Senate. The article outlines the confirmation timetable, CISA’s leadership vacancy, debate over Palantir’s government contracts and calls for secure-by-design practices.
Key points
- The White House sent LoSapio’s nomination to the Senate; it will first go to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
- CISA has had no confirmed director during the second Trump administration. Acting Director Nick Andersen’s time in the role was scheduled to end Nov. 23, though the effect of the new nomination was unclear.
- LoSapio became Palantir’s chief information security officer in September 2024, after nearly seven years leading teams securing the company’s infrastructure and networks.
- Former CISA official Bob Lord said he wants to hear LoSapio’s views on secure-by-design AI coding, converting C code to memory-safe languages and refactoring software supply-chain components.
- Lawmakers have sought disclosure of Palantir contracts and datasets used in systems for immigration enforcement, describing the technology as part of a mass-surveillance ecosystem. Palantir rejects claims that its software enables mass surveillance of Americans.
- The article says CISA has lost roughly one-third of its workforce since January 2025 and that the White House proposed another $707 million in budget cuts.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Michael LoSapio's nomination to lead CISA
- Impact
- The nomination would fill a leadership vacancy at CISA, which has had no confirmed director in the second Trump administration. LoSapio's confirmation was pending and faced a short Senate window; the article says it was unclear whether the nomination extended Acting Director Nick Andersen's time in the role. The agency had lost roughly one-third of its workforce since January 2025, and the White House had proposed an additional $707 million budget cut. Palantir's federal contracts and the use of its systems in immigration enforcement drew scrutiny from lawmakers, while Palantir rejected claims that its software enables mass surveillance.
People
Bob LordHelped lead CISA's Secure by Design initiative and secure pledges from technology companies; he commented on the cybersecurity priorities a CISA director could pursue.Donald TrumpU.S. president who selected LoSapio as his nominee to lead CISA.Michael LoSapioPalantir's chief information security officer and the White House's nominee to direct CISA.Nick AndersenActing CISA director since February; the article says his service under federal vacancies law could end on November 23, though it was unclear whether LoSapio's nomination extended that window.Rand PaulChairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which was to consider LoSapio's nomination; he has called for eliminating CISA.Ron WydenLed lawmakers' request for disclosure of Palantir contracts and related datasets, and had previously blocked Plankey over CISA's unreleased telecommunications security report.Sean PlankeyTrump's earlier nominee for CISA director, who withdrew in April after Senate holds.