U.S. Cyber Readiness Backslides Amid Budget Cuts and Leadership Gaps

For the first time in five years, U.S. federal cybersecurity efforts have regressed, according to the 2025 Cyberspace Solarium Commission report. The bipartisan body, created by Congress in 2019, attributes the decline to workforce reductions, leadership instability, and diminishing political commitment—particularly under the Trump administration.

Key agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), have suffered from budget and staffing cuts. “CISA's effectiveness has been weakened,” the report warns, urging the White House to restore funding and reinforce CISA’s leadership role in protecting critical infrastructure.

Only 35% of the commission’s 82 recommendations have been fully implemented, signaling a significant slowdown in reform. Experts called for immediate action to grant ONCD formal authority over federal cyber policy and budget oversight, while also restoring cyber diplomacy efforts at the State Department.

Sen. Angus King, co-chair of the commission, warned that national readiness is eroding as states lose faith in federal support. Mark Montgomery, senior director at FDD, described CISA cuts as the most damaging setback: “That’s the one that stings the most.”

The report outlines five urgent priorities to reestablish U.S. cyber defense leadership.