On Tuesday, the National Security Council officially scrapped the top White House cybersecurity policy position, part of new National Security Adviser John Bolton's push to centralize control of the NSC. "The role of cyber coordinator will end," Christine Samuelian, an aide to Bolton, told NSC staffers in an email obtained by Politico. The cybersecurity expert President Trump had appointed to the position, Rob Joyce, left the White House on Friday to return to the National Security Agency.
Samuelian explained that Bolton axed the government's point person on cybersecurity and cyber warfare because "eliminating another layer of bureaucracy delivers greater 'decision, activity, secrecy, and despatch,'" a reference to Alexander Hamilton's Federalist No. 70. Cybersecurity experts and some lawmakers criticized the decision, especially given the increase in foreign cyber-malfeasance in politics and business.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
North Carolina Supreme Court risks undermining its legitimacyUnder the radar A contentious legal battle over whether to seat one of its own members threatens not only the future of the court's ideological balance, but its role in the public sphere
-
Sudoku hard: January 14, 2025The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Crossword: January 14, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Jimmy Carter honored in state funeral, laid to restSpeed Read The state funeral was attended by all living presidents
-
Trump sentenced after Supreme Court rejectionSpeed Read Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the three liberal justices in the majority
-
DOJ to release half of Trump special counsel reportSpeed Read The portion regarding Trump's retention of classified documents will not be publicly released
-
Jimmy Carter lies in state as 3-day DC farewell beginsSpeed Read The 39th president died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100
-
Giuliani held in contempt of court over forfeit assetsSpeed Read He has failed to turn over $11 million in assets to two Georgia election workers he defamed after the 2020 election
-
Biden resettles 11 more Guantánamo detaineesSpeed Read In an effort to reduce the number of prisoners held in Guantánamo Bay, Biden transferred 11 Yemeni detainees to Oman
-
Canada's Trudeau announces resignationSpeed Read Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is stepping down after nearly a decade in office
-
Biden signs boost to Social Security for public workersSpeed Read The president signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, expanding retirement benefits for millions
