The Biden administration’s security clearances have been revoked from former CISA Director Christopher Krebs and former DHS official Miles Taylor, as the White House launches investigations into their conduct during their time in office.
The administration issued a formal statement characterizing Krebs as “a significant bad-faith actor” who allegedly misused his governmental authority while heading the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The statement accused CISA under Krebs’ leadership of engaging in partisan censorship by suppressing conservative viewpoints under the pretense of fighting disinformation.
Specifically, the White House alleged that CISA worked to obscure information about Hunter Biden’s laptop from public view and promoted censorship of election-related information, including potential risks associated with certain voting methods. The statement also claimed that Krebs inappropriately dismissed concerns about election integrity and voting machine vulnerabilities, while also attempting to control the narrative around COVID-19 by discrediting alternative
perspectives.
The administration emphasized that such behavior violates First Amendment principles and undermines public trust in government institutions, thereby weakening democratic processes. As a result, security clearances have also been suspended for individuals associated with Krebs, including employees at cybersecurity firm SentinelOne.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have been directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Krebs’ activities during his tenure at CISA. This
investigation will examine potential violations of federal employee suitability standards, unauthorized disclosure of classified information, and actions contrary to Executive Order 14149, which was established in January 2025 to address federal censorship and protect free speech.
The review will encompass CISA’s activities over the past six years, with particular attention to any actions that may have violated the principles outlined in Executive Order 14149.
Miles Taylor, who formerly served as chief of staff to the Homeland Security Secretary during the previous administration, also had his security clearance revoked. Taylor gained notoriety for publishing a book and New York Times op-ed under the pseudonym “Anonymous,” actions which some have characterized as treasonous.
The context of these security clearance revocations includes CISA’s reported direct communication with social media platforms throughout the 2020 election cycle. A Department of Homeland Security official had previously told the New York Times that this collaboration represented “the biggest change that helped shore up digital defenses in [2020] election management systems.”
In response to the security clearance removal, Taylor defended himself on social media platform X, stating “Dissent isn’t unlawful. It certainly isn’t treasonous.” His statement was met with significant criticism from conservative circles.
The administration’s actions reflect a broader effort to address what it perceives as inappropriate government involvement in content moderation and information control during the previous administration, particularly concerning matters related to elections and public health. The investigation into CISA’s activities suggests a
significant shift in how the federal government approaches
cybersecurity and information management policies.