Jen Easterly, the Senate-confirmed Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), officially stepped down from her role on President Trump’s Inauguration Day. Easterly, a globally recognized cybersecurity expert and former military officer, announced her exit in a LinkedIn post titled.
Easterly was appointed as CISA Director in July 2021, tasked with strengthening national resilience against escalating cyber threats. Over nearly four years, she spearheaded efforts to expand the agency, growing it into a $3 billion operation with over 10,000 personnel. Under her leadership, CISA fortified U.S. critical infrastructure against digital and physical threats, forged stronger partnerships across the public and private sectors, and prioritized a “People First” culture of excellence.
“When I joined the team, two things quickly became apparent,” Easterly reflected in her post. “The agency’s purpose was clear—threats to our nation’s critical infrastructure were growing. And CISA was built on the most solid of foundations—a team of dedicated civil servants with decades of experience securing America’s critical infrastructure.”
Her tenure saw CISA taking on a proactive stance in cyber defense, emphasizing collaboration with state and local governments, industry leaders, security researchers, and international partners. Easterly championed the defenders of cyberspace, likening their role to that of an “attack wing” in cyber operations.
A combat veteran and former Wall Street technology executive, Easterly previously served as Head of Firm Resilience at Morgan Stanley, where she built the company’s Cybersecurity Fusion Center. Earlier in her career, she played a key role in creating U.S. Cyber Command and led cyber operations at the National Security Agency (NSA).
Easterly has not yet announced her next move.