Acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala reportedly failed a July polygraph required to access highly sensitive intelligence and then placed at least six staffers who coordinated the test on administrative leave. DHS has called the exam "unsanctioned" and defended Gottumukkala, while current and former officials say he chose to take the test and describe the suspensions as retaliatory. The episode has rattled CISA — a roughly $3 billion agency that has lost nearly a third of its staff — and raised questions about leadership and oversight as a permanent director awaits Senate confirmation.
Acting CISA Head Fails Polygraph, Suspends Staff Who Scheduled Test — DHS Calls It 'Unsanctioned'
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Madhu Gottumukkala, the acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), reportedly failed a polygraph in July that was required to access highly sensitive intelligence — then placed multiple staffers involved in arranging the exam on administrative leave, according to reporting by Politico.
Madhu Gottumukkala was appointed as deputy director for CISA in May. / cisa.gov
The result has produced a turbulent few weeks at the roughly $3 billion agency. Current and former officials described the action as retaliatory and said the episode has undermined morale at a time when CISA has lost nearly a third of its workforce since President Trump returned to the White House.
What Happened
Politico reports that Gottumukkala, who previously worked in South Dakota government under Governor Kristi Noem and later at Sanford Health, repeatedly requested to take the polygraph despite not being required to do so to view the classified intelligence programs. He ultimately agreed to the exam and reportedly failed it.
The acting director was socializing at a holiday reception on Saturday with the French ambassador, Laurent Bili. / CISA/Insta / CISA
On Aug. 1, at least six employees involved in scheduling and approving the polygraph were notified their access to classified national security information was suspended because they allegedly misled Gottumukkala about the exam being required. Three days later those employees were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Noem has made headlines amid rumors that she was ousted from Trump's cabinet. / JIM WATSON / AFP via Getty Images
"Instead of taking ownership and saying, 'Hey, I screwed up,' he gets other people blamed and potentially ruins their careers," a current official told Politico, calling Gottumukkala's tenure "a nightmare" for the agency.
DHS Response And Dispute
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, told Politico that Gottumukkala "did not fail a sanctioned polygraph test." McLaughlin said the exam was "unsanctioned" and was coordinated by staff, and defended the decision to place those employees on leave while an investigation continues. "Gottumukkala has the complete and full support of the Secretary and is laser focused on returning the agency to its statutory mission," she added.
Current and former CISA officials pushed back on that characterization, calling the claim that the polygraph was "unsanctioned" "comical," and noting staffers typically sign off on polygraph requests at the agency. "He ultimately chose to sit for this polygraph," one official told Politico. Others questioned whether the agency was prioritizing internal cover-up over the security implications of a failed exam for someone in an acting leadership role.
Background And Next Steps
Gottumukkala rose to prominence within Kristi Noem's administration in South Dakota, where she praised him as "the right person" for his state role. He later served as senior director of IT for business solutions at Sanford Health. Donald Trump’s nominee for the permanent CISA director role, Sean Plankey, remains awaiting Senate confirmation.
The Daily Beast and Politico sought comment from DHS and Gottumukkala. The matter remains under investigation, and the dispute over whether the polygraph was "sanctioned" or not underscores ongoing management and oversight tensions at CISA.
