- ODNI assigns Dave Mastro and James Cangialosi to coordinate election threat response efforts
- Officials brief Congress on foreign interference monitoring and election security coordination
- The 2026 Intel Summit on Sept. 24 will discuss AI, secure information-sharing and more
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has assigned two officials to coordinate intelligence community efforts aimed at monitoring and responding to foreign threats targeting the 2026 midterm elections, The Record reported Friday.
As the IC increases coordination efforts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, government and industry leaders are continuing discussions on the future of intelligence modernization and national security operations. The upcoming 2026 Intel Summit will feature discussions on data, artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and secure information-sharing, along with how intelligence organizations are modernizing while operating in a more constrained fiscal environment. Register now for this Sept. 24 event!
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, selected Dave Mastro of the National Intelligence Council and James Cangialosi, deputy director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, to jointly serve as the election threats executive.
Table of Contents
What Are the Responsibilities of the Election Threats Executive?
The election threats executive, which was established during President Donald Trump’s first administration, coordinates IC activities related to identifying and evaluating foreign influence and interference operations targeting U.S. elections.
The position convenes an interagency group tasked with assessing threats and communicating findings regarding foreign meddling efforts.
Mastro and Cangialosi recently briefed House and Senate Intelligence Committee aides on the IC’s preparations for the 2026 midterm elections. During the closed-door sessions, the officials said ODNI would continue using the existing notification framework for foreign election interference.
Who Is Dave Mastro?
Mastro serves as an official within the National Intelligence Council, a component of ODNI that produces coordinated intelligence assessments for senior U.S. policymakers.
He previously worked at the National Counterterrorism Center as a senior analyst. He also served as an intelligence analyst at the FBI in New York City and spent a year as a federal executive fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Who Is James Cangialosi?
Cangialosi is the deputy director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. In this capacity, he helps lead NCSC’s efforts in countering national security threats through partner engagement and strategic oversight.
Before joining NCSC, he served as director of counterintelligence for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, or AFOSI, and spent more than 22 years in federal law enforcement as an AFOSI special agent.
Cangialosi also served as the Department of War’s senior representative and deputy director for the National Counterintelligence Task Force.
Related Articles
Army develops Multi-Domain Command-Pacific following theater-level operational experiment MDC-PAC combines maneuver formations with cyber, space and multidomain capabilities The 2026 Army Summit on June 18 will cover the hyperconnected battlefield, AI and more The U.S. Army is developing Multi-Domain Command-Pacific, or MDC-PAC, a new theater-enabling command in the Indo-Pacific that combines maneuver forces with multidomain capabilities. The Army’s continued focus on multidomain operations and force modernization comes as government and industry leaders prepare to gather for the 2026 Army Summit on June 18. The event will bring together defense stakeholders to discuss hyperconnected battlefield, AI, reconfigurable air defense and other
DOE expands support for advanced nuclear projects with $94 million in new awards Eight companies selected to strengthen the U.S. SMR supply chain and manufacturing base Funding targets reactor components, fuel production and factory upgrades across multiple states The Department of Energy has selected eight companies to receive more than $94 million in cost-shared funding to support the deployment of advanced light-water small modular reactors, or SMRs. What Will the Funding Support? DOE said Thursday projects funded through the program will focus on expanding manufacturing capacity and supporting production of reactor components and nuclear fuel. The agency said efforts include equipment
NSF launches $1.5 billion initiative to accelerate breakthrough science X-Labs program shifts toward milestone-driven R&D organizations Effort targets emerging technologies, including quantum and AI-enabled systems The National Science Foundation has launched a new $1.5 billion initiative aimed at reshaping how breakthrough science is funded and commercialized in the U.S., moving beyond traditional university and laboratory research models in favor of independent, milestone-driven research and development organizations. Over the next decade, NSF X-Labs will support interdisciplinary teams of researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs focused on developing sector-defining technologies and solving high-impact scientific challenges, NSF said Thursday. The initiative is managed through NSF’s