Ex-cybersecurity head Chris Krebs departs from SentinelOne following Trump’s executive order aimed at him.

Former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Chris Krebs testified before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing regarding claims of voter irregularities in the 2020 election, held in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, U.S., on December 16, 2020. Jim Lo Scalzo | Reuters A week ago, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Chief Chris Krebs, calling for the government to suspend the security clearances of any entities associated with him. The order specifically named SentinelOne, Krebs’ employer.

On Wednesday, Krebs announced his resignation from SentinelOne, a cybersecurity company with a market cap of $5.6 billion. While Krebs stated that the decision was his alone, his rapid departure is a notable instance of the influence Trump has on the private sector, particularly regarding pressure applied to individuals and institutions he opposes.

Krebs had served as SentinelOne’s chief intelligence and public policy officer since late 2023, following the company’s acquisition of his consulting firm. “For those who know me, you know I don’t shy away from tough fights,” Krebs wrote in an email to SentinelOne staff, which the company published on its website. “But I also know this is one I need to take on fully — outside of SentinelOne. This will require my complete focus and energy. It’s a fight for democracy, for freedom of speech, and for the rule of law. I’m prepared to give it everything I’ve got.”

Krebs served as the first CISA director from 2018 until he was terminated in November 2020 after stating that the presidential election, won by Democrat Joe Biden, was “the most secure in American history.” CISA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

In his April 9 executive order, which uniquely targeted an individual, Trump labeled Krebs as a “bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his government authority.” The order accused Krebs of censoring unfavorable speech related to the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic, asserting that he “falsely and baselessly denied that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, while categorically dismissing widespread election malfeasance and serious vulnerabilities with voting machines.”

Trump directed the attorney general, the director of national intelligence, and “all other relevant agencies” to suspend “any active security clearances held by individuals at entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances align with the national interest.”

Krebs shared with The Wall Street Journal that he was leaving to counter Trump’s efforts “to go after corporate interests and corporate relationships.” This pattern of demands on SentinelOne resembles the campaigns Trump has conducted against law firms and universities, pressuring them to alter their operations or risk losing government contracts or funding.

While SentinelOne does not disclose the exact proportion of its revenue derived from government contracts, the company acknowledges in the risk factors section of its financial reports that its business can be affected by changes in government policy. “Our future growth depends, in part, on increasing sales to government organizations,” says the latest quarterly filing. Specifically relating to Trump, SentinelOne noted that the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency, which is overseen by Elon Musk, could lead to changes that may negatively impact funding for and purchases of their platform by government entities.

In a memo sent on Wednesday, SentinelOne CEO Tomer Weingarten reassured employees by stating that Krebs “helped shape important conversations and strengthened public-private collaboration.” The company had previously stated in a blog post following the executive order that fewer than 10 employees held security clearances and that they did not anticipate this would materially impact their business.