FILE PHOTO: Christopher Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, testifies during a Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to discuss election security and the 2020 election process, in Washington, U.S., December 16, 2020. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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 following pressure from Trump.
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," the 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.
CISA declined to comment on the move. The White House did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
(Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Chris Reese and Rod Nickel)
