Former top NSA cyber official: Probationary firings \u2018devastating\u2019 to cyber, national security | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/joyce-china-probationary-firings-devastating-congress\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Former top NSA cyber official: Probationary firings \u2018devastating\u2019 to cyber, national security\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rob Joyce emphasized during a House hearing how important probationary employees are to NSA efforts to counter China and other threats in cyberspace.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/joyce-china-probationary-firings-devastating-congress\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-05T15:47:08+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" 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js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"5.12\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Nominations can be submitted for the 2025 CyberScoop 50 awards!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.497088791849\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"33.90134529148\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/joyce-china-probationary-firings-devastating-congress\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Rob Joyce emphasized during a House hearing how important probationary employees are to NSA efforts to counter China and other threats in cyberspace. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/83739\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security-2.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, 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https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security-2.jpg?resize=1014,675 1014w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security-2.jpg?resize=1266,843 1266w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1014px) 100vw, 1014px\"><figcaption> A sign for the National Security Agency, U.S Cyber Command and Central Security Service, is seen near the visitor’s entrance to the headquarters of the National Security Agency on February 14, 2018. (Photo by SAUL LOEB\/AFP via Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"26.635768985322\"><body readability=\"54.948180379747\"><\/p>\n<p>The NSA\u2019s former top cybersecurity official told Congress on Wednesday that the Trump administration\u2019s attempts to mass fire probationary federal employees will be \u201cdevastating\u201d for U.S. cybersecurity operations.<\/p>\n<p>In testimony to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Rob Joyce, the former NSA cybersecurity director who <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/rob-joyce-retires-nsa\/\">retired from government service last year<\/a>, warned lawmakers that countering Chinese hacking campaigns against critical infrastructure will require top-level cybersecurity talent at the NSA and other government agencies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPart of the defense is also having expertise and capacity in the government,\u201d Joyce said. \u201cI want to raise my grave concerns that the aggressive threats to cut U.S. government probationary employees will have a devastating impact on the cybersecurity and our national security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Probationary federal employees are those who have been in their current positions for less than a year, though in many cases those employees have worked other positions in the federal government over their careers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Shortly after coming into office, the Trump administration, using the Office of Personnel Management, attempted to fire nearly all federal probationary employees en masse. A federal judge has <a href=\"https:\/\/fedscoop.com\/us-judge-issues-temporary-pause-on-federal-probationary-worker-firings\/\">temporarily blocked that order<\/a>, citing a lack of authority by OPM to fire employees at other agencies.<\/p>\n<p>OPM this week <a href=\"https:\/\/fedscoop.com\/opm-tells-agencies-its-not-directing-probationary-firings\/\">updated its guidance<\/a> to reflect that firing decisions are made by individual departments and agencies, and many of those agencies have begun working to rehire or reinstate batches of fired workers in the weeks since they were dismissed.<\/p>\n<p>Joyce, who spent 34 years at the NSA, emphasized how important those employees are in sustaining an aggressive stance against China in cyberspace.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt my former agency, remarkable technical talent was recruited into developmental programs that provided intensive unique training and hands-on experience to cultivate vital skills,\u201d Joyce said. \u201cEliminating probationary employees will destroy a pipeline of top talent responsible for hunting and eradicating [Chinese] threats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But he also lamented that the firings may have already harmed the NSA\u2019s ability to retain and attract top cybersecurity talent, as those affected seek more stable employment options.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIf the positions are not eliminated, the pervasive uncertainty and doubt in the current environment is forcing them to seek and secure opportunities for their families outside national security,\u201d Joyce said.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.2462809917355\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"13\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Derek B. Johnson\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Derek B. Johnson<\/h4>\n<p> Derek B. Johnson is a reporter at CyberScoop, where his beat includes cybersecurity, elections and the federal government. Prior to that, he has provided award-winning coverage of cybersecurity news across the public and private sectors for various publications since 2017. 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{"id":7415,"date":"2025-03-05T09:47:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T15:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=83739"},"modified":"2025-03-05T09:47:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T15:47:08","slug":"former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/03\/05\/former-top-nsa-cyber-official-probationary-firings-devastating-to-cyber-national-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Former top NSA cyber official: Probationary firings \u2018devastating\u2019 to cyber, national security"},"content":{"rendered":"