The former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Chris Krebs, expressed strong disapproval of recent cybersecurity personnel cuts under the Trump administration during his appearance at the RSA Conference in San Francisco.
"We should be outraged. Absolutely outraged," Krebs declared to an audience of industry professionals, addressing the systematic reduction of cyber defense capabilities within the federal government. His comments mark his first public statement since President Trump directed the Justice Department to take action against him.
The Trump administration has implemented multiple rounds of cuts at CISA, including removing probationary employees and advisory committees, while encouraging retirements. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed these reductions, stating CISA had "strayed from its core mission."
Krebs highlighted the concerning timing of these cuts, pointing to ongoing Chinese hacking campaigns known as Salt Typhoon, Volt Typhoon, and Flax Typhoon targeting U.S. infrastructure. "When you've got these threats knocking on our door every day, we're not moving forward," he warned.
The former cyber chief called for increased investment in cybersecurity personnel across multiple agencies: "We need more Cyber Command, more folks at the NSA collecting intel, more front-line defenders, threat hunters, red teamers... We need more of that, not less."
Trump's recent actions against Krebs included revoking security clearances at SentinelOne, where Krebs worked until his recent resignation. The Electronic Frontier Foundation published an open letter defending Krebs, though industry support remains cautious due to concerns about potential administration backlash.
The controversy emerges as DHS Secretary Kristi Noem prepares to outline her vision for CISA's future at the conference, amid growing concerns about the agency's diminishing capabilities to protect national cybersecurity interests.