Trump Appointees Asked a Federal Cybersecurity Agency to Secretly Acquire a Voting Machine — and Hack It

ProPublica · Andy Mannix and Doug Bock Clark · 2026-10-19 09:00 UTC

Though not acted on, the request shows how the Trump administration has tried to use the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for its own ends while draining it of resources to help its mission of protecting the nation’s voting systems.

Reporting Highlights

- An Unusual Request: Political appointees at the Department of Homeland Security wanted the agency that protects election systems to get and hack a voting machine, which shocked staffers.

- Undermining Election Security: President Donald Trump has said voting is vulnerable even as his administration has undermined the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is supposed to protect it.

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