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By Raphael Satter and AJ Vicens
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Christopher Krebs, whom President Donald Trump fired as head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in 2020, said on Wednesday he is leaving cybersecurity company SentinelOne (NYSE:S) following pressure from the White House.
An email from Krebs, posted to SentinelOne’s website, said he offered his resignation last week after Trump singled Krebs and SentinelOne out for punishment, part of a campaign of retribution aimed at former officials that Trump has deemed insufficiently loyal.
"This is my fight, not the company’s," Krebs’ email said.
Trump fired Krebs from CISA in November 2020 following his refusal to endorse the president’s false claim that the election had been rigged by his then-opponent, former President Joe Biden.
Last week, Trump signed an order that stripped Krebs and employees of the firm of their security clearances.
The rationale for targeting SentinelOne, whose products are used to fight hackers and cybercriminals, was never publicly explained, but the move fits within Trump’s wider campaign to use the might of the U.S. government to crush his political opponents.
While many in the cybersecurity community privately expressed sympathy with Krebs, few industry leaders have spoken out publicly. Last week, Reuters asked 33 cybersecurity firms for their reaction to the pressure being brought to bear on Krebs and SentinelOne. All either declined comment or didn’t respond.
In his email, Krebs, presented his decision to quit his job at SentinelOne, where he was chief intelligence and public policy officer, as an effort to bring his "complete focus and energy" to battling Trump’s order.
A cybersecurity executive, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said SentinelOne’s decision to accept Krebs’ resignation "confirms to the Administration they can bully and get away with it."
It is not clear whether Krebs’ departure will prompt the administration to restore SentinelOne’s clearances, and the company didn’t immediately offer an update on their status. CISA declined to comment on Krebs’ resignation. The White House did not return a message seeking comment.