Trump’s head of cyber security uploaded ‘sensitive’ materials to a public ChatGPT

The head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency uploaded "sensitive" contracting materials to a public version of ChatGPT, triggering an internal review, according to a new report.

Madhu Gottumukkala, CISA's acting director under President Donald Trump, shared the files with the AI platform last summer, multiple unnamed Department of Homeland Security officials told Politico.

Though not classified, the documents were marked “for official use only” — indicating they were sensitive and not for public release. Their upload set off automated alerts designed to prevent disclosure of government materials, the outlet said.

In August, top DHS officials conducted an internal review to determine whether any government infrastructure had been harmed by the upload, sources said. The review's outcome remains unknown.

Gottumukkala — who previously served as chief information officer for South Dakota’s Bureau of Information and Technology — had obtained special permission to use ChatGPT, which most DHS employees were prohibited from accessing.

He “forced CISA’s hand into making them give him ChatGPT,” one officials told Politico. “And then he abused it.”

open image in gallery

Data entered into ChatGPT's public version — built by OpenAI — can be incorporated into prompts, potentially exposing it to the app’s nearly one billion users.

Marci McCarthy, CISA’s director of public affairs, appeared to dismiss the incident in an emailed statement to Politico. She noted that Gottumukkala “was granted permission to use ChatGPT with DHS controls in place,” and described the use as “short-term and limited.”

“Acting Director Dr. Madhu Gottumukkala last used ChatGPT in mid-July 2025 under an authorized temporary exception granted to some employees,” she added. “CISA’s security posture remains to block access to ChatGPT by default unless granted an exception.”

She also noted that the agency — charged with bolstering the defenses of government networks against countries like China and Russia — is committed to enhancing America’s dominance in AI, as outlined by a January 2025 executive order from Trump.

Representatives for the CISA and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.

open image in gallery

Gottumukkala has led CISA since May, when DHS Secretary Kristi Noem tapped him to serve as deputy director. During his brief tenure, he has been involved in several controversies.

At least half a dozen CISA staffers were placed on leave last year after Gottumukkala failed a polygraph test he had requested, Politico reported. He has since denied failing it, telling a congressman last week that he didn’t “accept the premise of that characterization.”

The disclosure of ChatGPT use at CISA coincides with the widespread embrace of AI by U.S. workers. Twelve percent of adults report using AI daily at their job, according to a new Gallup poll.