Trump Appointees Wanted Federal Cyber Agency to Secretly Hack Voting Machine, Bombshell Report Reveals

Trump administration appointees allegedly wanted federal cybersecurity officials to secretly obtain and hack a voting machine, triggering alarm among career staff and raising fresh questions about election security ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.

ProPublica revealed it on 19 October, alleging they targeted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which helps protect America's election infrastructure.

Two former administration officials familiar with the matter told ProPublica that the findings were intended for the White House.

One former official feared the results could be used to challenge election outcomes the administration disliked.

'My thought was they could keep it in their back pocket to invalidate any [election] results they don't like,' the official said.

CISA employees eventually abandoned the request after repeatedly objecting. The revelation has nevertheless intensified scrutiny of the Trump voting machine plan, particularly as state election officials prepare for November's midterms.

'Invalidate Any Election Results They Don't Like'

The reported request went beyond ordinary cybersecurity testing. According to the former officials, DHS political appointees wanted CISA to acquire a voting machine, examine it, attempt to hack it, and deliver the findings to the White House.

More troublingly, CISA staff were reportedly instructed not to notify the manufacturer if they discovered vulnerabilities, contrary to the agency's standard practices.

For employees whose job was to identify weaknesses and help protect election systems, the proposed secrecy raised fears that they were being drawn into potential political interference.

The former official's warning about invalidating election results reflected a fear about how the findings might be used, rather than an established motive on the part of the appointees. The supplied reporting does not establish that the machine was hacked or that any votes were altered.

DOGE Cuts Left CISA Without Key Personnel

The request was ultimately dropped after career employees repeatedly said the operation was not feasible. One reason, according to the former officials, was that personnel capable of carrying it out had recently been laid off through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

The staffing crisis extends well beyond this episode. ProPublica reported that the Trump administration had laid off or pushed out more than 1,000 CISA employees, reducing its workforce by roughly one-third.

Trump's proposed 2027 budget would cut another $700 million (£527 million) from the agency's funding, potentially requiring a further 900 layoffs.

These reductions have raised concerns about CISA's ability to defend election infrastructure against cyberattacks. The alleged hacking request and the staffing cuts are separate matters, but both have brought the agency's priorities and capabilities under scrutiny.

Election Officials Say Washington Left Them Alone

The controversy comes as state election authorities report diminished federal support during critical midterm preparations.

Ryan Macias, an election technology and cybersecurity expert who has worked as a CISA consultant, described the agency's presence during much of the preparation period as 'Literally nonexistent'.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes was equally blunt about his relationship with CISA acting director Nick Andersen. 'I told him I didn't trust him,' Fontes said, recalling an August meeting.

Some states have used their own resources to fill gaps, including paying for technology to detect suspicious activity on election networks. However, local authorities cannot easily replace every federal capability, particularly intelligence about foreign cyber threats.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also questioned whether CISA could rebuild cooperation in time, describing its renewed offer of assistance as 'too little, too late'.

A Wider Election Security Crisis

CISA became a standalone agency within the Department of Homeland Security in 2018, after Trump signed the legislation creating it. Under former director Chris Krebs, it worked with state authorities and voting machine manufacturers to identify vulnerabilities and coordinate election security.

After the 2020 presidential election, CISA publicly defended the integrity of the vote. Trump subsequently fired Krebs after the agency rejected election claims as 'unsubstantiated' or 'technically incoherent'.

ProPublica recently reported that the administration released sensitive records that state authorities had previously shared with CISA, further damaging trust among some election officials.

The White House defended Trump's record. Spokesperson Lauren Bis said he had done more than any other president to ensure free and fair elections. She referred questions about CISA's election work to DHS, while DHS and CISA did not respond to ProPublica's interview requests or detailed questions.

CISA published its 2026 election security plan on 24 September, but concerns remain about whether the agency can restore cooperation before November.

The reported request leaves serious questions about who authorised the proposed operation, why normal disclosure practices were reportedly set aside and how the findings would have been used.

With the midterms approaching, the stakes extend beyond one abandoned request. Election security depends on technical expertise, transparency and trust between federal and state authorities. Rebuilding those relationships could prove far harder than finding a weakness in a voting machine.