Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today about the Defense Department’s (DoD) struggle to recruit and retain cyber talent amid a civilian hiring freeze and unfunded workforce development programs.
“I’m very concerned that we are not investing in our cyber professionals,” Gillibrand said, pointing to more than 30,000 open cyber positions within the DoD. “We don’t have enough cyber offense, not just defense.”
At the heart of Gillibrand’s criticism was the department’s Cyber Service Academy (DoD CSA), a scholarship-for-service initiative aimed at cultivating cyber talent for national security roles. Despite the program’s intent to serve as a pipeline for trained cyber professionals into the DoD and the intelligence community, Gillibrand noted that current budget constraints and hiring restrictions are leaving graduates without a path into Federal service.
“These kids who have completed their degree actually can’t get a job at the DoD or in the intelligence community,” she said. “They’re either going to have to no longer serve – which was part of the program – or get employed somewhere else. We lose them.”
DoD is currently under a civilian hiring freeze extended through July 15, 2025 and is barred from filling most vacant civilian positions. While exceptions exist for roles deemed essential to national security and readiness, Gillibrand argued that the policy is effectively sidelining cyber talent just as threats to U.S. networks grow more complex and persistent.
In response, Secretary Hegseth acknowledged the urgency of bolstering the cyber workforce and committed to addressing the issues raised.
“We want those positions filled. We’re fully committed to it,” Hegseth said. He promised to review the hiring freeze’s impact on the CSA and to submit a letter to Congress outlining how the department plans to address the more than 1,000 cyber positions tied to the CSA.
Additionally, Gillibrand noted that the administration’s current budget blueprint for DoD does not mention dedicated funding for the CSA, raising concerns about DoD’s commitment to onboard newly trained cyber professionals.
DoD has not yet released a full fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request. However, the White House’s preliminary budget proposal – commonly referred to as a “skinny budget” – includes $1.01 trillion in defense spending, representing a 13 percent increase over current levels. Despite the overall boost, the document lacks detail on cyber-specific investments, and much of the proposed funding boost hinges on a reconciliation package working its way through Congress.
Hegseth maintained that the forthcoming budget “invests heavily on cyber,” emphasizing that cyber strategy is being integrated into all aspects of DoD planning.
“Cyber will be a part of every single way that we plan and look at the world,” he told the committee, pledging that future budget documents would more clearly reflect these priorities.
Separately, Ranking Member Jack Reed, D–R.I., highlighted another gap in the DoD’s cyber posture: the absence of a permanent leader at U.S. Cyber Command. The command has been without a confirmed director since the dismissal of Gen. Timothy D. Haugh earlier this year. Lt. Gen. William J. Hartman currently serves as acting commander.
When asked about the delay, Hegseth confirmed that the White House and DoD are “in talks” about a nominee but did not provide a timeline for the appointment.