On April 9, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum revoking the security clearance of Chris Krebs, former Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The memorandum also directs the Department of Justice to investigate Krebs’ actions during his tenure at CISA.
White House staff secretary Will Scharf stated that Krebs “weaponized his position against free speech in the election context, in the context of COVID-19.” The memorandum further instructs the DOJ and other federal entities to investigate alleged malign activities Krebs may have participated in while leading CISA.
President Trump criticized Krebs for his statements following the 2020 presidential election, where Krebs described the election as “the most secure in American history.” Trump labeled Krebs a “wise guy,” “fraud,” and “disgrace” for his remarks.
According to the White House website, the Presidential Memorandum “directs the head of every federal agency to immediately revoke any active security clearance held by Krebs,” as well as suspend “any active security clearance held by individuals and entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with national interest.”
The memo includes security clearances at SentinelOne, where Krebs currently serves as Chief Intelligence and Public Policy Officer. These suspensions are pending a review to determine if such clearances align with national interests.
