The news: Agencies including the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and US Cyber Command are set to lose up to 10% of staff as part of the Trump administration’s government layoffs. The hollowing out of cyber talent may leave the country exposed to rising cyberthreats, per Politico.

Top cyber officials—including National Security Agency (NSA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) leaders—were ousted, creating a leadership vacuum. These high-level changes may leave the military vulnerable when facing threats.

Why it matters: The US government sets national cybersecurity strategies, defining goals, priorities, and roles for safeguarding digital infrastructure and determining defenses against evolving cyber threats.

And US cyber defense job cuts aren’t just a federal issue; they’re a private-sector concern as well, especially with businesses facing increasingly sophisticated attacks.

The threat landscape: 

• Distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks surged 358% YoY and 198% QoQ, per Cloudflare, and data breaches involved 100 million to 560 million victims in 2024, matching record highs.
• Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery said China and Russia are escalating attacks on US military and infrastructure, and he urged more cyber staff—not cuts.
• Fewer experts at DISA and Cyber Command shrink national protection and threat response, exposing gaps in business networks tied to federal systems.

Effect on enterprises: Any decline in government cybersecurity efforts could have a knock-on effect, with businesses bearing the brunt of responding to security threats and becoming more vulnerable to sophisticated attacks.

Our take: Cybersecurity isn’t just a national defense issue—it’s now a brand trust imperative for every business. Marketers need to factor cybersecurity into brand trust, risk planning, and messaging. 

Marketers should monitor Pentagon cyber policy shifts and align campaigns with national security priorities. Consumers expect secure platforms, and brands that can’t reassure their customers risk losing credibility and clients.