Federal investigators are scrutinizing the former aide who publicly disputed President Trump's unsubstantiated 2020 election fraud allegations.
Rewritten Article:
Former Cybersecurity Big-Wig Chris Krebs, who debunked President Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 election was a sham, is currently under federal investigation, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson.
Living under the cloud of an undisclosed government probe, Krebs is no longer eligible for the U.S. customs program, Global Entry, which grants expedited clearance for pre-approved American travelers at airports[1].
A DHS repmented NBC News, "Chris Krebs is under active investigation by law enforcement agencies. That's a fact that bars him from global entry." Officials, however, didn't disclose reasons for the probe or the agencies heading it[2]. Initially, CNN reported Krebs kicking off Global Entry limbo.
The White House passed the buck to the DHS and Justice Department for comment, while the latter declined to shed light[3].
Speaking Truth to Power
Declining to comment himself, Krebs parted ways with Trump after stating that the 2020 election was the "most secure in American history." Krebs emphasized that there was no evidence of altered, lost, or tampered votes[4].
The investigation against Krebs followed Trump's April 9, 2025 memorandum, instructing the attorney general and the homeland security secretary to scrutinize his activities. The memo also revoked Krebs' security clearance and went a step further, targeting his current employer, SentinelOne[5].
This memo against Krebs and a similar one nailing former DHS official Miles Taylor escalated Trump's campaign of retribution against perceived political adversaries[6]. It marked the first time the president had ordered possible probes against individuals.
The presidential memo castigated Krebs for allegedly trying to suppress conservative viewpoints on social media about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 epidemic, by coercing social media platforms under the guise of combating supposed disinformation[7].
The memo accused Krebs of denying the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, even when confronted with "widespread election malfeasance and serious vulnerabilities with voting machines"[8]. In reality, Trump's claims of election fraud have been debunked[9].
Post the memorandum ousting his security clearance, Krebs exited his role at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne to gear up for his legal battle. Given the importance of security clearances for federal cybersecurity contractors, over 40 experts in the field signed an open letter on April 29, 2025, condemning the "political persecution" of Krebs[10].
The letter warned that the President's actions could force cybersecurity professionals to think twice before contradicting him, risking their businesses and livelihoods[11]. It mirrored the tactics Trump has previously employed against law firms with unfavorable stances.
- The federal investigation against Chris Krebs, the former cybersecurity big-wig who debunked President Donald Trump's election fraud claims, may have been instigated by Trump's April 9, 2025 memorandum that allegedly aimed to scrutinize Krebs' activities and target his current employer, SentinelOne.
- The probe on Chris Krebs could be related to the president's allegations that Krebs was trying to suppress conservative viewpoints on social media about the 2020 election and the COVID-19 epidemic by coercing social media platforms under the guise of combating supposed disinformation.
- The escalating political tension surrounding Chris Krebs can be traced back to the presidential memorandum that followed his speaking truth to power about the 2020 election being the "most secure in American history," and denying Trump's claims of election fraud.
- The legal battle that Chris Krebs is gearing up for, following the revocation of his security clearance and initiation of federal investigation, can impact the federal cybersecurity contractors, as over 40 experts in the field have signed an open letter that condemns the "political persecution" of Krebs, warning that such actions could force cybersecurity professionals to think twice before contradicting the President, risking their businesses and livelihoods.
