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Trump nominates Palantir CIO Michael LoSapio to lead CISA
The Record reported President Donald Trump nominated Palantir chief information officer Michael LoSapio on Monday to lead CISA, which has lacked a Senate-confirmed director since Trump returned to office.
President Donald Trump nominated Palantir Technologies chief information officer Michael LoSapio on Monday to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, The Record reported, citing a White House list of nominations sent to the Senate1.
CISA, the Homeland Security Department's civilian cyber defense agency, has been without a Senate-confirmed director since Trump returned to office, The Record said. Nick Andersen has led the agency in an acting capacity since February1.
A previous nominee, Sean Plankey, withdrew earlier this year after months without a confirmation vote, The Record reported1.
The Record said CISA lost more than 1,000 personnel — about one-third of its workforce — and saw its budget cut by billions during the second Trump administration, after years of Republican criticism that the agency's election-related work on online disinformation targeted conservative voices1.
The Record said CISA stayed largely behind the scenes before last week's midterm elections. A spokesperson told the outlet the agency "provided voluntary, no-cost services" such as vulnerability scanning and activated its Incident Coordination Group as a threat-information hub1.
It is unclear whether the Senate will take up the nomination in the lame-duck session, which The Record said is already crowded with a government funding measure and the annual defense policy bill. If Congress adjourns without a vote, Trump would have to nominate LoSapio again next year for a Senate with a Democratic majority, The Record reported1.
A spokesperson for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, did not immediately respond to The Record1.
LoSapio joined Palantir in 2017, led its infrastructure and network security group, and became CIO in late 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile as cited by The Record. The Record said a resubmitted nomination next year could draw more scrutiny because of Palantir's ties to the Trump administration1.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who The Record said is expected to retake the House Homeland Security Committee, has said he plans thorough oversight of all DHS components, including CISA1.
