Mass layoffs in the federal government will severely impact cybersecurity, warns former NSA cybersecurity director.

The Select Committee has received alerts from a former chief of cybersecurity at the NSA, Rob Joyce, who has highlighted that the layoffs in the federal government will have a devastating impact on national security. As part of an initiative to significantly reduce the federal workforce, more than 100,000 employees have been laid off or have opted for early retirement. Among them, over 130 positions have been eliminated at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within the Department of Homeland Security.

Joyce expressed serious concerns about how the aggressive reduction of probationary employees within the U.S. government could critically affect cybersecurity and national security. He argued that these layoffs not only harm the employees but also destroy the continuity of a highly skilled talent pipeline essential for identifying and neutralizing threats backed by China.

In response to these concerns, a federal judge in San Francisco has ruled that the layoffs are illegal, ordering agencies to reverse the corresponding guidelines. Some Republican Party members have allegedly advised Elon Musk to consult Congress regarding these cuts.

It is important to mention that these measures have largely been implemented at the behest of Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Recently, the tech mogul oversaw the closure of the tech unit 18F, a department composed of software engineers and strategists who provided services to the General Services Administration, developing sign-in systems and IT services intended for the public.

Musk, who acts as an unelected official, has also faced a series of lawsuits related to his plans for cuts in federal spending, following allegations of privacy violations due to access to "extraordinarily sensitive" information from federal employees.