What Biden Dropping Out Could Mean for Federal Cyber Policy

President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the U.S. 2024 presidential race raises new questions about the future of national cybersecurity initiatives.

Biden announced his decision in a surprise post to the social media platform X on Sunday afternoon, as the nation continued to struggle with the fallout from a CrowdStrike software update gone wrong that triggered the largest IT outage in global history (see: CrowdStrike Cleanup: Vast Majority of Systems Restored).

The president said he believed “it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down,” while endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to become the next Democratic presidential candidate.

Harris “has a strong record of prioritizing technological advancements and cybersecurity,” said Aytekin Tank, CEO of the digital platform JotForm. “How Biden’s withdrawal may affect the future direction of U.S. cybersecurity policies can’t be fully known until we see who replaces him and the outcome of the upcoming election.”

Biden’s withdrawal comes at a tumultuous time for cybersecurity policy in the United States. The early July Supreme Court decision overturning a long-standing judicial doctrine known as the Chevron deference has thrown ongoing and future cybersecurity and artificial intelligence regulations into a legally ambiguous state (see: Experts Warn of Cyber Regulatory Chaos Post-Chevron Overturn).

Federal officials have taken to Capitol Hill in recent weeks, warning lawmakers in urgent testimonials that agencies are struggling to recruit top cyber talent.

But cybersecurity is unlikely to diminish as an issue, regardless of who holds the White House. “Though their approaches may vary, cybersecurity will be a priority regardless of who wins in November,” said Crystal Morin, cybersecurity strategist for the security firm Sysdig.

“Whether we see a political shift in January or not, the U.S will continue to prioritize initiatives and regulations surrounding AI,” Morin said. “Both political parties want the United States to remain a global leader in this field, and I am confident that the momentum will continue with the next administration.”

The White House has unveiled a steady stream of long-term cyber policy goals that extend well into fiscal year 2026, which begins in October 2025. The administration most recently called for strategic investment priorities in future cross-agency cybersecurity initiatives, focusing on five key areas: defending critical infrastructure, dismantling threat actors, shaping market forces, investing in resilience and forging international partnerships (see: White House Calls for Defending Critical Infrastructure).

Harris has worked on administration tech initiatives. She announced in November 2021 the U.S. decision to support the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace. The Paris Call consists of nine voluntary principles that support an “open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful cyberspace.”

Harris has repeatedly backed election security measures. She joked in 2019 that “Russia can’t hack a piece of paper.” As head of the American delegation to the first AI Safety Summit, held in the United Kingdom in 2023, she announced the creation of the U.S. AI Safety Institute and the adoption of a U.S.-backed proposal by 30 nations that prevents the use of artificial intelligence in the military (see: UK AI Summit: Aspirations, Benefits and a Lack of ‘Doom’).

During Republican nominee Donald Trump’s four years as president, the U.S. became more assertive in cyberspace and more hostile to Chinese technology, and these policies that have continued under Biden.

Trump’s legacy on cybersecurity is complicated by his firing of CISA Director Christopher Krebs in November 2020 on social media (see: Trump Fires Christopher Krebs, Head of CISA).

The agency rebutted false claims about election fraud and hacking. Days before Krebs’s sacking, the agency released a statement calling the November 2020 presidential election “the most secure in American history.” Trump and his allies attempted to overturn the election results by falsely claiming the election was marred by fraud.