Four years may be a long time in politics, but it is even longer in cybersecurity. As President Trump re-enters the White House, he and his Administration are returning to a cyber-political landscape that has evolved significantly since he left office in 2021. What challenges will the new administration face and what might President Trump’s record on cybersecurity indicate about the likely approach in 2025 and beyond?
When President Trump was last in office, he signed the nation’s first cybersecurity strategy in 15 years. The strategy took a more robust approach to attributing attacks to rogue states and supported the use of offensive cyber activities to combat adversaries. He also mandated the modernization of IT infrastructure at federal agency level, in recognition that outdated systems represent significant cyber risk.
