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President Trump proposed shuttering the disinformation offices and programs at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), alleging in the White House budget request that they contributed to the censorship of the president and his supporters.

The president’s budget proposal, released Friday, claimed CISA’s disinformation offices and programs “functioned as a hub in the Censorship Industrial Complex.”

“CISA was more focused on cooperating with Big Tech to target free speech than our nation’s critical systems,” the White House wrote in a fact sheet. “Even CISA’s own systems have fallen prey to attacks.”

CISA, formed in 2018 during the first Trump administration, is tasked with securing the nation’s infrastructure, including election voting systems. It is housed under the Department of Homeland Security.

The proposal calls for slashing the agency’s budget by about $491 million. This would be a nearly 16 percent reduction in funding from what the agency received last year. It currently has a budget of about $3 billion.

Trump and some Republicans have repeatedly gone after CISA, accusing the agency of working with social media companies to censor conservative content.

The fiscal 2026 budget proposal echoes this sentiment, claiming it is part of the administration’s efforts to stop the “weaponization of the federal government.”

“Under President Trump’s leadership, CISA will protect our critical infrastructure instead of censoring Americans,” the fact sheet stated. “The Budget refocuses CISA on its core mission—Federal network defense and coordinating with critical infrastructure partners—while eliminating weaponization and waste.”

The president and his allies have also taken issue with CISA for the agency’s efforts to prevent misinformation about the 2020 election.

Trump fired former CISA Director Christopher Krebs from his post in November 2020, just days after he refused the president’s false claims of election fraud. The Trump administration launched an investigation into Krebs earlier this month and revoked his security clearance.

The administration is reportedly planning workforce cuts at CISA as part of its broader goal to reduce the federal government, though it is not clear if and when this restructuring plan will happen.

Trump tapped Sean Plankey as the next director of CISA, but he has not yet been confirmed. His nomination was placed on hold last month by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who is demanding the agency release a report about telecommunications insecurity.

The Hill reached out to CISA for further comment.

President Trump touted the newfound support he has received from major technology leaders in his second term Thursday, claiming they are now “kissing” his “a‑‑.”

“If you look at some of these internet people, I know so many of them. Elon [Musk] is so terrific,” Trump said during a commencement speech at the University of Alabama. “You know, they all hated me in my first term, and now they’re kissing my a‑‑.”

“You know, it’s amazing. It’s nicer this way,” he added.

Trump was referring to the various leaders of Silicon Valley, who had a tumultuous relationship with the president in his first term at the White House.

Four years later, several of these same leaders, such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, tried to mend fences with the president ahead of his second term.

Zuckerberg and Bezos, along with other top tech leaders including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft President Brad Smith, all made separate trips to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in the weeks leading up to the inauguration.

Some, including longtime Democratic donor Sam Altman, the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, also donated to Trump’s inaugural committee.

Musk was the first to make good with the president over the summer, joining him on the campaign trail and raising nearly $250 million for his reelection. He is now one of the president’s top allies and leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting initiative.

“In the first [term], they didn’t know what happened, because I won an election that … there was never a businessman that won a presidential election,” Trump said, adding later, “And when I ran, everyone said, ‘Well, I can’t win. He’s a businessman. That’s not going to work.'”

“You know, but you have a natural instinct for things. I guess I had a natural … I said to somebody, ‘Was I a better businessman or politician?’ And they said, ‘Well, there are a lot of guys that made a lot of money, but there’s only guy that became president that was a businessman, so I guess you’re a better politician.'”

The president said he does not think of himself as a politician, but rather a businessman who has applied a “business instinct” in the Oval Office.

While the tech leaders worked to curry favor with the president earlier this year, some of Trump’s policies have left their companies scrambling.

From Trump’s fluctuating approach to tariffs, the administration’s continued allegations of censorship and decision to push forward with antitrust enforcement, the president’s first 100 days did not shield Big Tech as some observers had predicted.

LONDON (AP) — A European Union privacy watchdog fined TikTok 530 million euros ($600 million) on Friday after a four-year investigation found that the video sharing app’s data transfers to China put users at risk of spying, in breach of strict EU data privacy rules.

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission also sanctioned TikTok for not being transparent with users about where their personal data was being sent and ordered the company to comply with the rules within six months.

The Irish national watchdog serves as TikTok’s lead data privacy regulator in the 27-nation EU because the company’s European headquarters is based in Dublin.

“TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of (European) users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU,” Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said in a statement.

TikTok said it disagreed with the decision and plans to appeal.

The company said in a blog post that the decision focuses on a “select period” ending in May 2023, before it embarked on a data localization project called Project Clover that involved building three data centers in Europe.

“The facts are that Project Clover has some of the most stringent data protections anywhere in the industry, including unprecedented independent oversight by NCC Group, a leading European cybersecurity firm,” said Christine Grahn, TikTok’s European head of public policy and government relations. “The decision fails to fully consider these considerable data security measures.”

TikTok, whose parent company ByteDance is based in China, has been under scrutiny in Europe over how it handles personal information of its users amid concerns from Western officials that it poses a security risk over user data sent to China. In 2023, the Irish watchdog also fined the company hundreds of millions of euros in a separate child privacy investigation.

The Irish watchdog said its investigation found that TikTok failed to address “potential access by Chinese authorities” to European users’ personal data under Chinese laws on anti-terrorism, counterespionage, cybersecurity and national intelligence that were identified as “materially diverging” from EU standards.

Grahn said TikTok has “has never received a request for European user data from the Chinese authorities, and has never provided European user data to them.”

Under the EU rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, European user data can only be transferred outside of the bloc if there are safeguards in place to ensure the same level of protection.

Grahn said TikTok strongly disagreed with the Irish regulator’s argument that it didn’t carry out “necessary assessments” for data transfers, saying it sought advice from law firms and experts. She said TikTok was being “singled out” even though it uses the “same legal mechanisms” that thousands of other companies in Europe does and its approach is “in line” with EU rules.

The investigation, which opened in September 2021, also found that TikTok’s privacy policy at the time did not name third countries, including China, where user data was transferred. The watchdog said the policy, which has since been updated, failed to explain that data processing involved “remote access to personal data stored in Singapore and the United States by personnel based in China.”

TikTok faces further scrutiny from the Irish regulator, which said that the company had provided inaccurate information throughout the inquiry by saying that it didn’t store European user data on Chinese servers. It wasn’t until April that it informed the regulator that it discovered in February that some data had in fact been stored on Chinese servers.

Doyle said that the watchdog is taking the recent developments “very seriously” and “considering what further regulatory action may be warranted.”

Elon Musk’s first 100 days in the White House were filled with twists and turns as the world’s richest person became one of the most influential and contentious figures in Washington in a matter of weeks.

The tech billionaire wasted no time jumping into the political fray upon President Trump’s return to the White House, moving at breakneck speed to carry out the president’s government cost-cutting initiative, dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

As DOGE’s work dominated the news and Musk appeared alongside the president nearly every day, he faced mounting scrutiny from the public and even some within Trump’s circle over his increasing influence as a nongovernment employee.

After nearly three months of repeated backlash against Musk and his companies, political strategists say his omnipresence is fading as the dust settles.

“That influence has been reined in a little bit, whether that is his choice or the White House’s choice, I don’t know, but I would guess the White House has put their thumb on the scale a little bit when it comes to Elon,” GOP strategist Brittany Martinez told The Hill.

DOGE’s chainsaw 

The first few weeks of DOGE were marked by chaos and confusion as Musk and his low-profile team imposed mass layoffs and spending cuts across federal agencies to reduce the federal workforce.

“Musk hit the ground running with a vengeance and just went after everything,” said Paul Levinson, a professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University.

Shortly into Trump’s second term, Musk appeared in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) wielding a chainsaw, which would become a symbol of DOGE.  

Musk admitted Wednesday the first few weeks of DOGE were “intense,” adding he spent almost seven days a week at the White House.  

The “move fast and break things” approach mirrored Musk’s leadership in Silicon Valley and his technology companies, where the billionaire and a group of loyal deputies slashed employees and programs he deemed unnecessary.

At its inception, DOGE was largely supported by Republican lawmakers, who remain thankful Musk brought a spotlight on government reduction, even as some have frustrations over his approach.

“He has brought incredible energy and creativity to ferreting out waste, fraud and abuse, and I’m very grateful that he’s spent the time and energy to do so,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told The Hill.

GOP strategists acknowledged the effort is nothing new to the party and will likely last past Musk’s time in the White House.

“The project on the right to rein in spending, to cut government, to make it more efficient, has been a decades-long project, and it’s not like we weren’t trying that whole time,” Republican strategist Chris Johnson said. “I think Elon came in assuming … I don’t know if he thought it was fake, or we weren’t trying hard enough.”

DOGE set out in January to make up to $2 trillion in cuts to federal spending, though the actual number of cuts ended up being far lower after 100 days.

Trump said Wednesday that DOGE found $150 million in potential cuts to the federal budget, noting he thinks “things being worked on” could double or triple that number. 

“One of the main lessons is if one of the smartest people on Earth is stymied by different systems and institutions and regulations, that’s probably a sign that this is going to be a long project that’s going to be going on much longer than Elon,” Johnson added.  

While the long-term effects of DOGE remain to be seen, the program and staffing cuts are already impacting agencies. The DOGE cuts, for instance, slashed funding for the 9/11 first responder survivors’ health program, but was restored by the White House amid criticism.  

From environmental advocates to public health researchers, the cuts also sparked fears of “brain drain” among staffers, along with a loss of institutional knowledge from longtime employees.  

Trump shifts tone on Musk

The DOGE team’s infiltration of federal agencies ruffled feathers within the Trump administration, too, forcing the president to answer tough questions about how much power Musk holds.

At a Cabinet meeting in early March, Trump shifted his tone and stressed his secretaries are the lead on staffing choices. He insisted the cuts be made with a “scalpel” instead of a “hatchet.”  

Although the president dismissed rumors of infighting between Musk and other White House deputies, the comments marked the first time Trump publicly made clear the tech billionaire’s power was limited.

“Musk’s much more of a team player,” Johnson said when asked about the White House dynamics. “He’s proven himself to be loyal to the GOP, not just to Trump.” 

“When he came in, there was this, ‘What is this guy doing? What’s his angle?’ And ultimately, for a lot of people, they’ve kind of come to the conclusion that he doesn’t really have an angle,” Johnson added. “He just wants Republicans to win because he thinks it’s good for America.” 

Since then, Musk’s ubiquitousness both online and in Washington somewhat declined, strategists said. This included a scaling back of public sparring with Trump World figures such as former White House strategist Steven Bannon.

Musk “has taken a less combative approach towards folks who disagree with him, and that’s abundantly clear,” Johnson said.

Still, Democrats are not backing down on their criticism, sending inquiries nearly every week over his conflicts of interest and DOGE’s access to sensitive data housed in federal agencies. 

Backlash spills into Musk’s businesses

The initial shock and awe of DOGE’s moves began to subside in March, though the public backlash was just beginning against the Trump administration and Musk.  

Dozens of protests popped up across the country, often taking place at Musk-owned Tesla showrooms or charging stations. The protests were largely peaceful, though some became violent with Molotov cocktails or shots fired at showrooms.  

Tesla’s stock plummeted more than 50 percent since the beginning of the year, while the company reported a 71 percent drop in earnings for the first quarter of this year.

Amid the mounting scrutiny, Musk attempted to improve the image of DOGE while still standing by the group’s goals. He acknowledged in late March he is being cautious and compassionate with the government overhaul efforts.

“It’s like 60 percent fun, 70 percent fun. Depends on the week,” Musk said Wednesday. “I mean, being attacked relentlessly is not super fun. So, you know, seeing cars burning is not fun. But, when I feel like we’re doing good for the American taxpayer and stopping wasteful spending and fixing computer systems, I feel like that’s a good thing.” 

Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) suggested last month Musk has been on “a rehab tour” for DOGE, which now appears to be his approach at his struggling electric vehicle manufacturer.  

The Wall Street Journal reported this week Tesla board members launched a new search for a CEO to succeed Musk.  

Robyn Denholm, the chair of Tesla, denied this report, saying the board is “highly confident” in Musk’s ability to continue his role. Musk called the report a “deliberately false article.” 

Musk tried to assure concerned Tesla investors last week that he plans to limit his time on DOGE to 1-2 days per week, since the foundation of DOGE is complete. He reiterated this to reporters Wednesday but said it would be the president’s “discretion” if that setup will also eventually end.

“Elon Musk’s role was going to evolve as the world’s richest man,” GOP strategist and Trump campaign alum Brian Seitchik said. “He owns a series of very important and high-profile businesses, so there’s always going to be a shelf life to how much time he could commit to Washington.” 

Apple CEO Tim Cook said President Trump’s tariffs could tank the company’s profits in the second quarter during a Thursday earnings call.

“For the June quarter, currently we are not able to precisely estimate the impact of tariffs, as we are uncertain of potential future actions prior to the end of the quarter,” Cook told attendees. 

“However, for some color, assuming the current global tariff rates, policies, and applications do not change for the balance of the quarter and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add $900 million to our costs,” he added.

The president has imposed a 145 percent tariff on China, where most of Apple’s products are made. However, Trump partially exempted electronics such as smartphones and computers from the new reciprocal duty on imports. 

Democrats have questioned the motive behind the move, which would leave some sector-specific companies paying more than others. 

Cook said in spite of the potential uptick in costs, Apple has “certain unique factors” that will benefit the June quarter. The industry leader has been spotted with Trump numerous times after his November win and sat closely behind him during the inauguration. 

But in spite of the budding connection between Cook and the president and Apple’s product exemption from tariffs, Trump said no one would be let “off the hook” from levies. 

“These products are subject to the existing 20 percent Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket,’” the president wrote in a Truth Social post.

“We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations,” he added.

Cook said the company would remain a top competitor regardless of what may emerge in the markets. 

“For our part, we will manage the company the way we always have, with thoughtful and deliberate decisions, with a focus on investing for the long term, and with dedication to innovation and the possibilities it creates,” Cook said on Thursday’s call.

“As we look ahead, we remain confident. Confident that we will continue to build the world’s best products and services. Confident in our ability to innovate and enrich our users’ lives. And confident that we can continue to run our business in a way that has always set Apple apart.”

Trump Media and Technology Group, Truth Social’s parent company, announced Thursday that it has moved its incorporation to Florida, becoming the latest firm to leave the popular corporate home of Delaware. 

The move was approved by Trump Media’s shareholders at its annual meeting Wednesday, according to a press release. 

“We’re thrilled to reincorporate our Company in Florida,” Trump Media CEO and Chair Devin Nunes said in a statement. “With its pro-business orientation and respect for the rule of law, Florida is a great place for Trump Media to officially call home.” 

Several other companies have opted to reincorporate outside of Delaware in recent years. Most notably, tech billionaire and close Trump ally Elon Musk moved his companies out of the state after clashing with a judge over his multibillion-dollar Tesla pay package. 

Musk reincorporated Tesla and SpaceX in Texas while moving Neuralink to Nevada. He had previously moved the incorporation for both his social platform X and his tunneling firm, the Boring Company, to Nevada in 2023.  

He has also encouraged other companies to move, saying last February, “If your company is still incorporated in Delaware, I recommend moving to another state as soon as possible.” 

Delaware state lawmakers passed changes to corporate law earlier this year amid growing concerns about the number of companies exiting the state.  

“Delaware is the best place in the world to incorporate your business, and Senate Bill 21 will help keep it that way, ensuring clarity and predictability, balancing the interests of stockholders and corporate boards,” Gov. Matt Meyer (D) said in late March, when he signed the bill into law. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has launched a new cash incentive program aimed at recruiting and retaining air traffic controllers, he announced Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will give $5,000 bonuses to all academy graduates and new hires that complete initial qualification training. Academy graduates assigned to 13 facilities that have faced additional hiring struggles will get $10,000.

Additionally, certified professional controllers who are younger than 56 and opt not to retire when eligible will receive bonuses equal to 20 percent of their basic pay for each year they continue to work.

The new incentives are being offered for a limited time, but an FAA spokesman told The Hill a formal time frame has not been set.

“In our first 100 days, this administration has made more progress on addressing the air traffic controller shortage than the last one did in four years,” Duffy said in a statement. “But there’s more work to be done to secure our skies.”

Duffy announced in February he was looking for ways to “supercharge” staffing, noting the shortages he saw just weeks after the Senate confirmed him for the top transportation role.

“This staffing shortage has been a known challenge for over a decade, and this administration is committed to solving it,” Duffy said at the time.

Prospective entry-level controllers must pass an assessment test and spend several months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said Thursday that the administration is on track to hire at least 2,000 controllers this year after it announced a 30 percent pay increase for trainees and began aggressive recruitment efforts in March.

“The supercharge hiring initiative is working,” he said. “Less than 45 days after the announcement closed, one of the first applicants already has an Academy start date in early June.”

Among the efforts Duffy announced in late February, the FAA also has streamlined its qualifying process to get candidates enrolled in the Academy faster and opened up opportunities for additional instructors.

National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels has repeatedly raised concerns about the industry’s staffing shortage amid reports of crashes and near misses at airports, including the deadly midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport in late January.

Daniels told lawmakers during a congressional hearing in March that staffing issues also hinder the ability to train existing controllers to keep with advanced technology.

“Controller staffing and infrastructure progress are inextricably linked,” he said. “A properly staffed workforce of fully certified controllers is needed for the FAA to successfully develop, test, deploy and train the workforce on new technology and modernization programs on time and under budget.”

A pair of GOP lawmakers will introduce legislation that would put the onus of age verification on app stores in the latest congressional push to boost online safety for kids.

The bill, titled the App Store Accountability Act, would require app stores like those offered by Apple or Google to verify the ages of all users. It is being introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. John James (R-Mich.), Lee’s office confirmed to The Hill.

“Big Tech has profited from leading kids to inappropriate & dangerous content through app stores, even exposing their personal information to predators,” Lee wrote in a post on social platform X. “I’m proud to introduce the App Store Accountability Act with @RepJames to protect children in America and around the world.”

The bill would also require parental consent for users under 18 on the app stores and link minors’ devices on app stores to parents or guardians. App age ratings would also be required to be displayed. 

“The lack of guardrails on digital app stores defies logic and puts children at risk,” James said in a press release. 

“There is simply no good reason why app stores should be allowed to circumvent the same lawful ID checks that brick-and-motor stores abide by to protect children from accessing age restricted items, such as alcohol and tobacco,” he added. 

The bill, if passed, would mark a major change in the steps app stores will have to take before users can download apps.

The legislation, first reported by CNN, resembles a newly signed law in Lee’s home state of Utah that takes effect next week. The Beehive State is the first in the country to pass such a measure.

It comes amid a broader debate in the technology industry over whether app stores or the app makers should be responsible for verifying users’ ages.

Meta, along with other social media companies like X and Snapchat, argue the onus to verify kids’ ages is on the app stores.

Apple and Google, two of the largest app stores online, argue app developers are better prepared to handle age verification. The companies believe age verification measures on app stores are a risk to the privacy of minors and their parents or guardians.

Earlier this week, Meta and app makers Spotify and Match Group Inc. launched a Washington lobby group over the issue. The group, which includes Garmin Ltd. as well, states age-based content restrictions are the “most effective at the app store level because it is where apps are purchased, and the app store already has the age data.”

Meta, X and Snapchat released a joint statement in support of Lee and James’ measure.
“By centralizing this process within the app store, parents are spared the burden of repeated approvals and age verification requirements across the countless apps their teens use – an approach that has been introduced by seventeen states this year alone,” the companies shared in a statement with The Hill.

Updated May 2