Three days after President Trump announced via tweet that he had fired Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Chris Krebs, CISA Deputy Director Matthew Travis announced that he resigned today.
Trump did not state who would be leading CISA when he claimed that a recent statement by Krebs confirming the security of the 2020 vote was “highly inaccurate,” and said that “effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.” CISA staff were told that night that Trump designated Executive Director Brandon Wales as acting director, overruling the agency’s succession plan to bypass Travis.
Travis served under Krebs at the old National Protection and Programs Directorate, which became CISA in November 2018.
“DHS badge turned in; office lights turned out. Profoundly honored to have been @CISAgov co-pilot for @C_C_Krebs. Nation needs more leaders like him. 2-year old CISA now custom-built for performance + speed. Good luck to Team Biden-Harris who will make it even better,” Travis tweeted this evening.
“CISAzens: be proud of who you are and what you do. Take care of each other. CISA mission–cyber, infrastructure, emergency comms–must stay fiercely nonpartisan. Protect that. God gave us a conscience…use it,” Travis added. “Defend Today. Secure Tomorrow. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Call your parents. Stay Hydrated. The Truth Shall Set You Free. #Protect2020″
Krebs retweeted Travis’ announcement, adding, “I couldn’t have done it without @Travis55DC and that’s no exaggeration. Literally I would not have gotten the job without him. I’ll be lucky to have a biz partner half as good ever again. Thank you, my friend, fair winds and following seas.”
Prior to joining NPPD in March 2018, Travis served as vice president of homeland security for Cadmus. In 2010, he co-founded Obsidian Analysis, Inc., a homeland security consultancy. Obsidian was acquired by Cadmus in 2016. Previously, Travis served as president of the information security company Detica, Inc. and, before that, vice president at DFI International, where he was instrumental in creating the homeland security practice that supported CISA and its Office for Bombing Prevention.
Krebs has been vocal on Twitter in his few post-CISA days, defending the integrity of elections and CISA’s Rumor Control: “Rumor Control: I never claimed there wasn’t fraud in the election, bc that’s not CISA’s job – it’s a law enforcement matter. We did provide info on measures elec officials use to prevent and detect dead voters, tho. Don’t buy it. And think 2x before sharing,” he tweeted.
After Chef Jose Andres tweeted that Krebs “will always …have a seat and a table at my home, at my places” for putting “we the people above I the person,” Krebs tweeted that he would rather volunteer for Andres’ World Central Kitchen, which mobilizes chefs to feed people after disasters and during incidents that breed food insecurity like the government shutdown.
“Hey @chefjoseandres, thx for the offer but with 5 kids we don’t get out much. I have a better idea…how about I be your sous chef and help your awesome mission to feed ppl struggling to put food on the table? I got knife skilz,” the former CISA director tweeted.
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