The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has dismissed all members of its advisory committees, including the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) which was investigating major Chinese telecommunications hacks known as Salt Typhoon.
Acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman announced the terminations in a memo on Monday, citing the need to eliminate "misuse of resources" and prioritize national security. The CSRB was in the middle of probing how Chinese hackers infiltrated networks of nine major U.S. telecom providers, reportedly accessing calls and messages of top officials including Trump himself and Vice President JD Vance.
"The Department will no longer tolerate any advisory committee which push agendas that attempt to undermine its national security mission, the President's agenda or Constitutional rights of Americans," a DHS spokesperson said.
The board previously included cybersecurity experts from both government and private sectors. Notable members included representatives from the FBI, Google, and the National Security Agency. Chris Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency who was fired by Trump in 2020, resigned from the board days before the announcement.
Democratic lawmakers expressed concerns about the timing and impact. "I'm troubled that the president's attempt to stack the CSRB with loyalists may cause its important work on the Salt Typhoon campaign to be delayed," said Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi.
Republican leaders defended the move. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green stated that Trump's DHS leadership "should have the opportunity to decide the future of the Board," including appointing new members or reviewing its structure.
The memo indicates dismissed members can reapply for their positions, though it remains unclear how the CSRB will be reshaped or if the Salt Typhoon investigation will continue. According to sources familiar with the matter, the probe was less than halfway complete when the terminations occurred.