Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on Wednesday directed the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to cancel its appointment of former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) director Jen Easterly as a distinguished chair. The move came after online criticism from conservative figures over Easterly’s leadership at CISA during the Biden administration.
Easterly, a West Point graduate and former Army officer, was set to serve as the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in West Point’s Department of Social Sciences. She previously served on the National Security Council under President Obama and was confirmed in 2021 to lead CISA, stepping down in January when President Trump returned to office.
Driscoll’s directive, announced in a letter posted to X, also orders West Point to halt all hiring of academic staff from outside organizations and to conduct a full review of its hiring policies.
A source familiar with the matter said Easterly was nominated for the role by a West Point alumni association. Her selection became a flashpoint after activist Laura Loomer posted Tuesday night criticizing West Point’s hiring process and tagging Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Loomer pointed to Easterly’s tenure at CISA, particularly the agency’s association with the short-lived Disinformation Governance Board and its controversial hire, Nina Jankowicz.
Conservative outlet The Federalist CEO Sean Davis also weighed in, accusing Easterly of running an “illegal censorship operation against conservative media.”
CISA has faced ongoing criticism from Republicans since the 2020 election for its efforts to counter supposed “misinformation” on social media. Trump fired then-CISA Director Chris Krebs after the agency endorsed a statement calling the 2020 election the “most secure in American history.” Earlier this year, Trump revoked Krebs’ security clearance and ordered a Justice Department probe into his government work.
