News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
27
o
Bekaa
25
o
Keserwan
28
o
Metn
28
o
Mount Lebanon
24
o
North
29
o
South
26
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
Late Night News
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
27
o
Bekaa
25
o
Keserwan
28
o
Metn
28
o
Mount Lebanon
24
o
North
29
o
South
26
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Series
Movies
Documentaries
Variety
Comedy
Talk Show
News Bulletin
Sports
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Trump fires top U.S. election cybersecurity official who defended vote
Middle East
18-11-2020 | 07:11
High views
Share
Share
6
min
Trump fires top U.S. election cybersecurity official who defended vote
President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired top cybersecurity official Chris Krebs in a message on Twitter, accusing him without evidence of making a "highly inaccurate" statement affirming the Nov. 3 election was secure and rejecting claims of fraud.
Trump has made debunked allegations that the election was "rigged" and has refused to concede defeat to President-elect Joe Biden. His campaign has filed a flurry of lawsuits in battleground states, although election officials in both parties have said they see no evidence of serious irregularities.
Krebs' work in protecting the election from hackers and combating disinformation about the vote won praise from lawmakers of both parties as well as state and election officials around the country. But he drew the ire of Trump and his allies, who were irked over his refusal to support allegations of election meddling.
Reuters reported last week that Krebs had told associates he expected to be fired.
Trump said on Twitter that Krebs had assured people in a "highly inaccurate" statement that the election had been secure when there were "massive improprieties and fraud - including dead people voting, Poll Watchers not allowed into polling locations," and voting machine errors that flipped votes from Trump to Biden.
Dozens of election security experts on Monday released a letter saying claims of major hacks were unsubstantiated and absurd on their face.
Twitter slapped warning labels on Trump's posts, noting: "This claim about election fraud is disputed."
Krebs headed the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) from its inception two years ago.
He angered the White House over a website run by CISA dubbed "Rumor Control," which debunks misinformation about the election, according to the three people familiar with the matter.
A CISA spokesperson said the agency had no comment.
Krebs was not given notice of Trump's plan to fire him, according to a person familiar with the matter, and learned of the decision through Twitter.
Matthew Travis, Krebs' deputy and the number two at the agency, resigned on Tuesday night.
CISA Executive Director Brandon Wales is expected to take over for Krebs as the acting head of the agency on Wednesday, an agency official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Wales has served in multiple positions within the DHS under the Trump administration and is not seen as a partisan figure, said a former colleague.
The Reuters report last week prompted an outpouring of support from security experts across the country, who praised Krebs for his bipartisan work in the past two years.
White House displeasure with Krebs grew over the past year, according to two former officials, as Trump criticized the security of mail-in voting and Krebs' agency countered by saying it represented a secure way to vote. Mail-in balloting reached a record high this year because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
'WE DID IT RIGHT'
On his own Twitter account, Krebs did not back down, writing: "Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomorrow."
White House officials had previously complained about CISA content that pushed back against false claims about the election, including that Democrats were behind a mass election fraud scheme. CISA officials declined to delete accurate information.
Among other things, one associate of Krebs said the White House was angry about a post rejecting a conspiracy theory that falsely claimed an intelligence agency supercomputer and program, purportedly named Hammer and Scorecard, could have flipped votes nationally. No such system exists, according to Krebs, election security experts and former U.S. officials.
A spokesman for President-elect Joe Biden said: "Chris Krebs should be commended for his service in protecting our elections, not fired for telling the truth."
Trump's move was also quickly denounced by security officials and White House critics.
"Krebs was doing important work defending critical infrastructure and fighting disinformation," said Harri Hursti, an expert on electronic voting security. "His firing is very disappointing and appears to be an attempt to undermine the great work he and others at DHS/CISA have been doing."
Democrat Adam Schiff, who heads the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, said: "The CISA and Director Krebs have worked diligently to safeguard our elections, provide vital support to state and local election officials, and inform the American people about what was true and what was not."
Independent Senator Angus King said Trump was “firing Mr Krebs for simply doing his job."
"I hope that President-elect Biden will recognize Chris’s contributions, and consult with him as the Biden administration charts the future of this critically important agency,” King said.
Senator Ben Sasse, who has been a Trump critic, was among the first Republicans to push back against the decision.
"Chris Krebs did a really good job — as state election officials all across the nation will tell you — and he obviously should not be fired," Sasse said in a statement.
Breaking Headlines
US
Trump
Elections
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon Economy
2025-06-27
Lebanon raises minimum wage to LBP 28 million
Lebanon Economy
2025-06-27
Lebanon raises minimum wage to LBP 28 million
0
Lebanon News
10:10
Lebanon's Press Club condemns assault on journalist Petra Abou Haidar, calls for accountability
Lebanon News
10:10
Lebanon's Press Club condemns assault on journalist Petra Abou Haidar, calls for accountability
0
Middle East News
2025-04-18
Syrian Air says it is resuming its direct flights to UAE on Sunday
Middle East News
2025-04-18
Syrian Air says it is resuming its direct flights to UAE on Sunday
0
Lebanon News
10:22
Parliament resumes session on government performance
Lebanon News
10:22
Parliament resumes session on government performance
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon News
08:59
Pregnant journalist Petra Abou Haidar attacked in road rage assault
Lebanon News
08:59
Pregnant journalist Petra Abou Haidar attacked in road rage assault
0
Lebanon News
2025-07-01
Massive fire erupts at unregulated dumpsite in Bchannine, Zgharta district
Lebanon News
2025-07-01
Massive fire erupts at unregulated dumpsite in Bchannine, Zgharta district
0
Lebanon News
2025-06-10
Clash between Lebanese Army and residents of Deir Qanoun Al Nahr results in injuries (Video)
Lebanon News
2025-06-10
Clash between Lebanese Army and residents of Deir Qanoun Al Nahr results in injuries (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2025-06-04
Mexico dedicates garden around Lebanese Emigrant Statue in Beirut to mark 80 years of diplomatic ties
Lebanon News
2025-06-04
Mexico dedicates garden around Lebanese Emigrant Statue in Beirut to mark 80 years of diplomatic ties
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-19
President Aoun to seek Egyptian support for Lebanese Army in detecting explosives and tunnels
Lebanon News
2025-05-19
President Aoun to seek Egyptian support for Lebanese Army in detecting explosives and tunnels
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-15
LBCI Exclusive: US steps up pressure on Hezbollah, Morgan Ortagus details sanctions and vision for Lebanon's future
Lebanon News
2025-05-15
LBCI Exclusive: US steps up pressure on Hezbollah, Morgan Ortagus details sanctions and vision for Lebanon's future
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Kuwait rolls out official welcome for Lebanon's President Aoun – video
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Kuwait rolls out official welcome for Lebanon's President Aoun – video
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Security incidents temporarily disrupt voting in several Akkar and Minieh-Danniyeh centers
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Security incidents temporarily disrupt voting in several Akkar and Minieh-Danniyeh centers
0
News Bulletin Reports
2025-05-09
EU ambassador says 'we are not just donors, but genuine partners to Lebanon': Insights from exclusive LBCI interview
News Bulletin Reports
2025-05-09
EU ambassador says 'we are not just donors, but genuine partners to Lebanon': Insights from exclusive LBCI interview
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Lebanon News
08:59
Pregnant journalist Petra Abou Haidar attacked in road rage assault
Lebanon News
08:59
Pregnant journalist Petra Abou Haidar attacked in road rage assault
2
Lebanon News
08:53
Israeli airstrikes kill 12 in Lebanon's Bekaa, including Syrian refugees
Lebanon News
08:53
Israeli airstrikes kill 12 in Lebanon's Bekaa, including Syrian refugees
3
Lebanon Economy
07:05
Lebanon's central bank bans interactions with Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hassan: Circular
Lebanon Economy
07:05
Lebanon's central bank bans interactions with Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hassan: Circular
4
Lebanon News
07:15
Lebanese Army arrests 144 Syrians for illegal entry, detains multiple Lebanese suspects in raids
Lebanon News
07:15
Lebanese Army arrests 144 Syrians for illegal entry, detains multiple Lebanese suspects in raids
5
Lebanon News
03:42
Airstrikes hit Bodai as Israel targets alleged Hezbollah positions in Bekaa
Lebanon News
03:42
Airstrikes hit Bodai as Israel targets alleged Hezbollah positions in Bekaa
6
Lebanon News
10:10
Lebanon's Press Club condemns assault on journalist Petra Abou Haidar, calls for accountability
Lebanon News
10:10
Lebanon's Press Club condemns assault on journalist Petra Abou Haidar, calls for accountability
7
Lebanon News
04:44
Israeli defense minister says strikes under way in Lebanon are 'clear message' to Hezbollah
Lebanon News
04:44
Israeli defense minister says strikes under way in Lebanon are 'clear message' to Hezbollah
8
Lebanon News
03:32
Lebanese committee to meet at Presidential Palace after receiving US response to proposal
Lebanon News
03:32
Lebanese committee to meet at Presidential Palace after receiving US response to proposal
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More