The former director of the Cybernetic Security and Infrastructure Security Agency, Chris Krebs, attests to the Security Hearing and Government Affairs to examine the claims of voter irregularitions in the 2020 elections, in the Dirksen building, on December 16, 20.
Jim the Scalzo | Reuters
A week ago, President Donald Trump signed an executive order addressed to the former head of the Cybernetic Security and Infrastructure Security Agency, Chris Krebs, and asked the Government to suspend the security authorizations of any entity with which it is associated. The order specifically appointed SentinelKrebs employer.
On Wednesday, Krebs announced his resignation from Sentinelone, a cyber security company with a market capitalization of $ 5.6 billion. While Krebs said that the choice was its alone, its rapid departure is the last example of the effect Trump is having in the private sector when it comes to pressing people and institutes that are personal dislikes.
Krebs had served as Director of Intelligence and Public Policy of Sentinelone since the late 2023, when the company acquired its consulting firm.
“For those who know me, you know that it does not shy away from difficult fights,” Krebs wrote in an email to Sentinelone employees that the company published on its website. “But I also know that this is one that I need to assume Sentinelone’s total. This will require my approach and full energy. It is a struggle for democracy, for freedom of expression and for the rule of law. I give it in all years.”
Krebs served as the first director of the CISA from 2018 until he was fired in November 2020 after declaring that the presidential elections, which won the Democrat Joe Biden, was “the safest in American history.” CISA is part of the Department of National Security.
In his executive order on April 9, that the extraordinary approach to persecute a specific individual, Trump described Krebs as a “actor of bad faith that armed and abused his government authority.”
“Krebs’ misconduct involved the censorship of unfavorable discourse that implies the 2020 elections and the Covid-19 pandemic,” the order said. “Krebs, through CISA, falsely and without foundation that the 2020 elections were manifested and stolen, even for inappropriate and categorical dismissal of embezzlement of serious elections and vulnerabilities with voting machines.”
Trump ordered the Attorney General, the director of National Intelligence and “all other relevant agencies” to suspend “any authorization of active security in power of people in entities associated with Krebs, including Sentinelone, waiting for a revision of whether of whether if” if “of Si”
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the departure of Sentinelone Krebs, publishing a story on Wednesday based on an interview with Krebs. He told the Journal that Trump’s efforts were going to be retired “to pursue corporate interests and corporate relationships.”
Sentinelone’s demands resemble campaigns that President Trump has fought against law firms and universities that he has tried strong to make significant changes in the way they operate or otherwise contracts or government funds.
Sentinelone, who uses artificial intelligence to detect cyber attacks of threat and prevention, cannot be done not to come from its government’s income. But the company recognizes in the section of risk factors of its financial reports that is based on government agencies for some of its businesses and can be affected by changes in politics.
“Our future growth depends, in part, on the increase in sales to government organizations,” says the last quarterly presentation. Trump specific, Sentinelone said that the establishment of the Government’s efficiency department, which Elon Musk is executing, could lead to budgetary changes that “advertising affects the funds and purchases of our platform by government organizations.”
The Sentinelone CEO, Tomer Weingarten, told employees in a memorandum, also published on the company’s site on Wednesday, which Krebs “helped shape important conversations and a public-private collaboration strengthened.” The company previously said, in a blog post after the executive order, which Ferwer of 10 employees had security authorizations.
“Consequently, we do not expect this to impact our business in any way,” said the post.
Look: Krebs in Ciberthreats
