FBI, NSA, and CISA Boycott RSA Conference 2026 After Former CISA Director Easterly Named CEO

The FBI, NSA, and CISA were absent from RSA Conference 2026 (March 23-26) in San Francisco, breaking a decade-plus tradition of federal participation at the cybersecurity industry's largest annual gathering. All three agencies pulled speakers from the agenda eight days after RSAC announced former CISA Director Jen Easterly as its new CEO; Easterly was fired by the Trump administration in January 2025. Cancelled sessions included Hunt for China's Typhoons, a behind-the-scenes look at disrupting Beijing's espionage campaigns. CISA spokesperson Marci McCarthy cited good stewardship of taxpayer dollars but declined to say whether Easterly's appointment influenced the decision. The absence removes a critical venue for public-private cyber threat intelligence sharing.