Federal officials quietly sidelined a group of senior cybersecurity professionals this summer after a controversial internal dispute that reached the top of a key U.S. cyber agency.
At least six career employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) were placed on paid suspension after they helped arrange a polygraph examination that the agency’s acting director, Madhu Gottumukkala, did not pass.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later launched an internal probe to determine whether those staffers misrepresented the justification for administering the test. The polygraph was ordered after Gottumukkala requested access to a cache of highly sensitive cyber intelligence shared with the agency, according to people familiar with the matter.
According to reporting from Politico, these details emerged from conversations with twelve U.S. cybersecurity experts. This group includes eight current and four former officials, several of whom were appointed during the Trump administration. These sources, who worked directly with Gottumukkala or were briefed on the polygraph results and the ensuing events, spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid professional backlash.
The July incident and its aftermath remained under wraps until now. This disclosure has reportedly sparked frustration among long-term staff and caused concern among other Trump appointees. Furthermore, it has triggered serious debate regarding Gottumukkala’s ability to lead an agency responsible for a nearly $3 billion cyber defense budget.
One official mentioned that rather than taking responsibility for his mistakes, he shifts the blame onto others and puts their professional futures at risk. This same source characterized his leadership at CISA as “a nightmare” for the organization.
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Meanwhile, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin addressed the situation via email, stating that Gottumukkala “did not fail a sanctioned polygraph test.”
“An unsanctioned polygraph test was coordinated by staff, misleading incoming CISA leadership,” McLaughlin had written. “The employees in question were placed on administrative leave, pending conclusion of an investigation. We expect and require the highest standards of performance from our employees and hold them directly accountable to uphold all policies and procedures. Gottumukkala has the complete and full support of the Secretary and is laser focused on returning the agency to its statutory mission.”
When pressed to explain what qualifies as an “unsanctioned” polygraph, McLaughlin clarified that “random bureaucrats can’t just order a polygraph. Polygraph orders have to come from leadership who have the authority to order them.”
These polygraph disputes are unfolding during a particularly unstable time for the agency, which has dealt with significant reductions in both funding and headcount during the Trump administration. Since January, nearly 30% of the workforce has departed. Additionally, some employees were recently presented with a choice: they could either transfer to immigration-focused positions within the Department of Homeland Security or resign from the agency entirely.
Adding to the instability is the fact that CISA hasn’t had a permanent, Senate-confirmed leader since Jen Easterly resigned in January when the Trump administration began. Gottumukkala, who previously worked as a top IT official for Kristi Noem in South Dakota, was appointed deputy director in May by Noem herself after she became secretary. Right now, he is the highest-ranking person at CISA and is serving as the acting director.
Because Sean Plankey, the president’s choice for the permanent role, is still waiting for confirmation,
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Gottumukkala might stay in charge for a while. This possibility makes some cybersecurity experts nervous. Many current and former officials also worry that the way he handled the polygraph situation shows he lacks the accountability and good judgment required to lead an agency responsible for defending U.S. infrastructure and federal networks from hackers.
“We’re a sinking ship. We’re like the Titanic,” according to a second current official.
As per one former and five current officials, Gottumukkala did not pass a polygraph examination during the final week of July.
Three current officials and one former official noted that the test was arranged that month for a specific reason. It was intended to confirm if he was eligible to access a highly sensitive intelligence program that a separate spy agency shares with CISA.
Throughout the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community, polygraphs are a standard way to identify individuals whose personal history or foreign ties might put top-secret data at risk. However, over the past year, these tests have been used more frequently under Noem as a method for identifying people suspected of sharing information with the press.