By gutting its cyber staff, State Department ignores congressional directives | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The State Department\u2019s recent restructuring has undermined U.S. cyber diplomacy by dissolving the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, dispersing expertise, and weakening America\u2019s ability to respond to global cyber threats.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-department-cyber-diplomacy-setback-congress-action-op-ed\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"By gutting its cyber staff, State Department ignores congressional directives\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The State Department\u2019s recent restructuring has undermined U.S. cyber diplomacy by dissolving the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, dispersing expertise, and weakening America\u2019s ability to respond to global cyber threats.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-department-cyber-diplomacy-setback-congress-action-op-ed\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-18T10:00:00+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"8256\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"5504\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Greg Otto\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gregotto\"> <meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@CyberScoopNews\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" 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\/><\/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=\"25.68093385214\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"36.342685370741\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-department-cyber-diplomacy-setback-congress-action-op-ed\/\"> <span>Commentary<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Without strong cyber capabilities at State, America\u2019s partners will turn to unreliable associates in China for infrastructure investment and succumb to cyberattacks that place U.S. forces overseas at risk. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/85602\/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\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives.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\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg 8256w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-4.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> (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=\"57.333333333333\"><body readability=\"116.52269375717\"><\/p>\n<p>The State Department has demonstrated it does not understand that cyber power is critical to geopolitical power. In the course of reorganizing offices and reducing staff over the past three weeks, the department\u2019s political appointees have gutted President Trump\u2019s ability to work with partners and allies on cybersecurity and technology resilience. Congress will need to intervene to defend its bipartisan effort to bolster cyber diplomacy. <\/p>\n<p>For years, Washington\u2019s efforts to hold China, Russia, and Iran accountable for malicious cyber activity were hamstrung by an inability to effectively work with allies to quickly identify and punish perpetrators. America\u2019s allies were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2022\/10\/05\/why-albania-chose-not-to-pull-the-nato-trigger-after-cyberattack-00060347\">failing<\/a> to prevent cyberattacks on critical <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/european-entso-breach-fingrid\/\">systems<\/a> that the U.S. military needed to operate securely overseas. Instead, these attacks <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/one-year-after-notpetya-companies-still-wrestle-with-financial-impacts-1530095906?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=ASWzDAi_rXfzotYyh5vCRfmtocUCwmID_kBzei6PKiFspMK6OFW-R9SxeQLaucLoldw%3D&gaa_ts=6882782d&gaa_sig=I7xCuHdURi6OM9w3CNJaHWNmNUjF00zQEvC1CWqwoTMnUdowY6os0Cld7EexaEsj8WkA4t4JAmEaMdOUPqE5QQ%3D%3D\">cascaded<\/a> across continents and hit the U.S. homeland. And U.S. adversaries were <a href=\"https:\/\/fas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Strengthening-U.S.-Engagement-in-International-Standards-Bodies.pdf\">running circles<\/a> around the West\u2019s principled stance on privacy and security in cyberspace, instead <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fdd.org\/analysis\/2021\/06\/30\/international-telecommunication-union\/\">reshaping<\/a> telecommunications infrastructure and the internet in their image. <\/p>\n<p>After watching successive administrations dither, Congress took a stand, passing the Cyber Diplomacy Act in 2022. The law <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/117\/plaws\/publ263\/PLAW-117publ263.pdf\">tasked<\/a> a new State Department Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) with promoting reliable and secure internet infrastructure, building the cyber capacity of U.S. partners, and advancing technology and cybersecurity policies globally that bolster U.S. economic and national security interests. <\/p>\n<p>To accomplish this mission, CDP pulled together existing, disparate economic and international security functions related to cyber and technology into a single, more efficient operation. By all accounts, this consolidation made CDP <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/shaping-the-future-of-cyber-diplomacy-review-for-state-department-reauthorization\/\">successful<\/a>.<\/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>When Congress tasked the bureau with managing a unique cyber assistance fund to rapidly respond to incidents overseas, CDP created a <a href=\"https:\/\/therecord.media\/state-dept-preps-funding-blitz-to-boost-cyber-defenses-fick\">mechanism<\/a> to airdrop expertise into partner countries in as little as two days.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, when Congress <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawfaremedia.org\/article\/cyber-provisions-in-the-fy2024-ndaa\">tasked<\/a> the bureau with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/the-u-s-department-of-state-international-technology-security-and-innovation-fund\/\">securing<\/a> communications technology, semiconductor supply chains, and other emerging <a href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/protect-promote-secure-maximizing-international-technology-security-and-innovation-fund-0\">technology<\/a>, the bureau <a href=\"https:\/\/bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov\/briefing-room\/statements-releases\/2023\/09\/25\/fact-sheet-enhancing-the-u-s-pacific-islands-partnership\/\">paired<\/a> U.S. seed funding with investments from allies and technology companies to box out Chinese firms attempting to dominate telecommunications in the Indo-Pacific. <\/p>\n<p>On July 1, however, the State Department stepped <a href=\"https:\/\/insidecybersecurity.com\/share\/16928\">backwards<\/a>. Despite its stated goal of creating a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2025\/05\/next-steps-on-building-an-america-first-state-department\">more agile Department<\/a>\u201d and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govexec.com\/workforce\/2025\/07\/state-department-lays-1350-employees\/406665\/\">reducing<\/a> duplicative offices, Foggy Bottom <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cybersecuritydive.com\/news\/state-department-cyber-bureau-firings-reorganization\/753370\/\">pulled CDP apart<\/a> into <a href=\"https:\/\/subscriber.politicopro.com\/article\/2025\/04\/state-department-cyber-bureau-to-be-split-up-as-part-of-agency-reorg-00312058\">multiple offices<\/a>, each of which now holds a piece of the cyber mission. CDP lost its division responsible for responding to cyberattacks to a new bureau on emerging threats. Its strategy team moved to the personal staff of the undersecretary of economic growth. And its internet freedom team went to the undersecretary for public diplomacy. <\/p>\n<p>CDP will now consist of two slimmed down teams. One will focus on internet governance and technical standards, the other on using U.S. foreign aid to bolster allied cybersecurity. However, after the trifecta of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecipherbrief.com\/column_article\/usaid-cuts-demolish-cyber-assistance-to-u-s-allies-and-partners\">dissolution<\/a> of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the foreign aid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theregister.com\/2025\/01\/27\/us_state_department_freezes_cyber_aid\/\">freezes<\/a> earlier this year, and Congress\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govexec.com\/management\/2025\/07\/house-sends-bill-rescind-billions-foreign-aid-and-public-media-white-house\/406828\/\">acquiescence<\/a> to billions of dollars in cuts to previously allocated foreign aid, it is not clear what funds CDP will have to help U.S. allies. <\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the crippling of State\u2019s cyber diplomacy capabilities is not just the result of the restructuring, but also a significant loss of subject matter expertise. In the course of reducing its overall workforce in mid-July, State fired at least a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cybersecuritydive.com\/news\/state-department-cyber-bureau-firings-reorganization\/753370\/\">half dozen<\/a> people from CDP. The bureau lost two strategists and five of only eight experts working on bilateral and regional affairs. <\/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>CDP had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextgov.com\/people\/2025\/07\/state-department-cuts-hit-cyber-diplomats-doing-international-engagements\/406727\/\">expected to bring in<\/a> staff from other technology-focused offices as they were dissolved. Instead, quantum, artificial intelligence, and other technology experts were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/07\/14\/state-department-rubio-firings-china\/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzUyNDY1NjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzUzODQ3OTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NTI0NjU2MDAsImp0aSI6Ijg2M2QyYTZiLThiYzAtNDgzNS05ZDI5LTY4YWJkNzQ1NDQ4OCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9uYXRpb25hbC1zZWN1cml0eS8yMDI1LzA3LzE0L3N0YXRlLWRlcGFydG1lbnQtcnViaW8tZmlyaW5ncy1jaGluYS8ifQ.st4PiBOKU9jFOtW10j67xdRtTeeiGp93iPJ3C-GV404\">fired<\/a>. Over the past few months, other CDP staff have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/newsletters\/axios-future-of-cybersecurity-780e88e0-6374-11f0-b7fa-c779102b978d.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioscodebook&stream=top\">accepted<\/a> the department\u2019s offers of deferred resignation and early retirement. And State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/07\/17\/cyber-tech-state-ai-00460679\">reassigned<\/a> CDP\u2019s acting head, leaving the bureau without a leader. <\/p>\n<p>At an April hearing about CDP, the House Foreign Affairs Committee\u2019s Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self, R-Texas, <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/press-release\/europe-subcommittee-chairman-self-delivers-opening-remarks-at-hearing-on-future-of-cyber-diplomacy\/\">affirmed<\/a> the importance of State\u2019s cyber capabilities. \u201cThe U.S. is not facing these real and growing threats alone,\u201d he noted. \u201cThrough cooperation with our allies and partners, the U.S. will continue to work to combat malign cyber activities from the PRC, Iran, North Korea and Russia.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>After a bipartisan show of <a href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/shaping-the-future-of-cyber-diplomacy-review-for-state-department-reauthorization\/\">support<\/a> for the bureau, the subcommittee staff are drafting components of a State reauthorization bill from Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., that would bolster CDP\u2019s mandate. If Foggy Bottom keeps undercutting CDP, however, there may be little left to reauthorize. <\/p>\n<p>Chairman Mast indicated he <a href=\"https:\/\/subscriber.politicopro.com\/newsletter\/2025\/07\/full-mast-for-state-department-bills-00469044\">plans<\/a> to bring the reauthorization bill to the floor at the end of September. Lawmakers need to weigh in with State Department leadership sooner rather than later, however, to remind Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he himself voted for the Cyber Diplomacy Act when he served in the Senate. He knew then what members know now: Without strong cyber capabilities within the State Department, America\u2019s partners will turn to unreliable associates in China for infrastructure investment and succumb to cyberattacks that place U.S. forces overseas at risk.<\/p>\n<p>It will take years to rebuild State\u2019s capabilities. While Congress should move quickly to re-integrate CDP\u2019s component pieces, reauthorize cyber foreign assistance, and restart secure technology projects, the loss of subject matter experts will take longer to fix. The cyber experts with sought-after skills that State let go are not waiting by the phone to get their old jobs back. They will move on to higher-paying private sector jobs. Only after the department re-commits to its cyber mission and places a Senate-confirmed ambassador at the helm of the bureau will the department have a hope of reconstituting all that it lost over a few weeks in July.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<div class=\"popular-stories__stories\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__cards\">\n<article class=\"post-item post-item--popular-stories-cards \" readability=\"21.294117647059\">\n<figure class=\"post-item__thumbnail\"> <a class=\"post-item__thumbnail-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cyber-director-sean-cairncross-faces-challenges-on-policy-bureaucracy-threats\/\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"506\" height=\"337\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-1.jpg?resize=506%2C337&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-ratio-16-9-md size-ratio-16-9-md wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-5.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px\"> <\/a><figcaption class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Sean Cairncross, CEO, Millenium Challenge Corporation, speaks onstage during the 2019 Concordia Annual Summit \u2013 Day 2 at Grand Hyatt New York on Sept. 24, in New York City. (Photo by Riccardo Savi\/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header class=\"post-item__meta\" readability=\"2.2755555555556\">\n<h3 class=\"post-item__title\"> <a class=\"post-item__title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cyber-director-sean-cairncross-faces-challenges-on-policy-bureaucracy-threats\/\"> New National Cyber Director Cairncross faces challenges on policy, bureaucracy, threats <\/a> <\/h3>\n<p> It\u2019s a \u201cpivotal\u201d moment for Sean Cairncross, fresh off his Senate confirmation in a changing federal cyber landscape. <\/p>\n<div class=\"post-item__byline\"> <span class=\"post-item__author\"> <span>By <\/span> <a class=\"post-item__author-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/author\/tim-starkscyberscoop-com\/\"> Tim Starks <\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n<p> <\/header>\n<p> <\/article>\n<article class=\"post-item post-item--popular-stories-cards \">\n<figure class=\"post-item__thumbnail\"> <a class=\"post-item__thumbnail-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/quantum-cybersecurity-migration-act-federal-encryption-legislation\/\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"252\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-2.jpg?resize=252%2C168&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-ratio-16-9-sm size-ratio-16-9-sm wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-6.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\"> <\/a><figcaption class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Parts of the IBM Quantum System Two are displayed at IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center on June 6, 2025 in Yorktown Heights, New York. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS \/ AFP) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header class=\"post-item__meta\">\n<h3 class=\"post-item__title\"> <a class=\"post-item__title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/quantum-cybersecurity-migration-act-federal-encryption-legislation\/\"> Senate legislation would direct federal agencies to fortify against quantum computing cyber threats <\/a> <\/h3>\n<div class=\"post-item__byline\"> <span class=\"post-item__author\"> <span>By <\/span> <a class=\"post-item__author-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/author\/tim-starkscyberscoop-com\/\"> Tim Starks <\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n<p> <\/header>\n<p> <\/article>\n<article class=\"post-item post-item--popular-stories-cards \">\n<figure class=\"post-item__thumbnail\"> <a class=\"post-item__thumbnail-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/mark-green-house-homeland-chairman-cybersecurity-agenda\/\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"252\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-3.jpg?resize=252%2C168&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-ratio-16-9-sm size-ratio-16-9-sm wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives-7.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\"> <\/a><figcaption class=\"screen-reader-text\"> Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, arrives before the start of a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in January of 2024. (Photo by Kent Nishimura\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<header class=\"post-item__meta\">\n<h3 class=\"post-item__title\"> <a class=\"post-item__title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/mark-green-house-homeland-chairman-cybersecurity-agenda\/\"> House Homeland Chairman Mark Green\u2019s departure could leave congressional cyber agenda in limbo <\/a> <\/h3>\n<div class=\"post-item__byline\"> <span class=\"post-item__author\"> <span>By <\/span> <a class=\"post-item__author-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/author\/tim-starkscyberscoop-com\/\"> Tim Starks <\/a> <\/span> <\/div>\n<p> <\/header>\n<p> <\/article>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Government<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Technology<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/main> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--bottom \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"interstitial\" class=\"welcome__container\"> <button id=\"close-modal-1\" class=\"welcome__clickable_area\"><\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"welcome__ad_wrapper\">\n<p> <button id=\"close-modal-3\" class=\"welcome__continue-button\">Continue to CyberScoop<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <\/body> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/state-department-cyber-diplomacy-setback-congress-action-op-ed\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By gutting its cyber staff, State Department ignores congressional 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{"id":7905,"date":"2025-08-18T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=85602"},"modified":"2025-08-18T05:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T10:00:00","slug":"by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/08\/18\/by-gutting-its-cyber-staff-state-department-ignores-congressional-directives\/","title":{"rendered":"By gutting its cyber staff, State Department ignores congressional directives"},"content":{"rendered":"