Former CISA head criticizes MAGA-fueled outrage following abrupt West Point dismissal
In a turn of events that has raised eyebrows, Jen Easterly, a West Point graduate and former Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), has had her appointment as the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair at West Point's Department of Social Sciences rescinded.
The decision, made by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, came after public pressure and criticism spearheaded by far-right activist Laura Loomer. Loomer targeted Easterly's background as the former Biden administration director of CISA and her association with efforts to combat election misinformation.
The firing occurred a day after Easterly was announced for the role, and before she could begin her tenure. Loomer publicly accused Easterly of being part of a network undermining Trump supporters, referencing Easterly’s past involvement with the Disinformation Governance Board and CISA initiatives combating election-related disinformation.
Driscoll's decision also included an immediate directive to pause outside groups from selecting West Point instructors and to review West Point’s hiring practices broadly.
Easterly, a lifelong independent, condemned her removal as “a casualty of casually manufactured outrage” and warned that weaponized political outrage undermines military unity and ethos. She emphasized that the military must remain above partisan politics and dedicated to the Constitution.
The controversy reflects heightened tensions around election security advocacy, misinformation efforts by federal agencies like CISA, and political influence within military institutions during the Trump administration’s second term.
Interestingly, Jen Easterly's concerns about CISA being gutted seem not only prescient, but also prophetic, three months after her words. Her warning of a mandate for loyalty to a person over loyalty to the Constitution of the United States of America echoes in the current situation.
This incident also brings into question the appointment of Sean Plankey, the current CISA nominee. Whether the apparent blackballing of both of CISA's former directors should influence his decision remains to be seen.
In a related development, Chris Krebs, Easterly's predecessor at CISA, was fired via tweet in 2020 after publicly contradicting Trump's false claims of election fraud. Krebs became the target of a Department of Justice probe and an executive order accusing him of using CISA to pursue a "partisan mission" and covering up alleged proof that "the 2020 election was rigged and stolen." All of Krebs' former SentinelOne co-workers also had their security clearances revoked.
Jen Easterly previously taught economics and national security at West Point, and her initial appointment was announced on LinkedIn. However, the initial post announcing her appointment was later deleted. The US Army spokesperson did not confirm whether the firing was related to Loomer's attacks on social media.
Easterly's statement emphasized that her appointment was rescinded due to "casually manufactured outrage" and the "weaponization of outrage and discarding of truth." She reiterated that cybersecurity is national security, and the gutted state of CISA would be a loss for everyone in the nation.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the political tensions surrounding national security and cybersecurity, and the potential impact of such tensions on the integrity of institutions like West Point and CISA.
- The cancellation of Jen Easterly's appointment at West Point's Department of Social Sciences, prompted by Laura Loomer's campaign, has sparked debate about the role of AI in cybersecurity and IoT, particularly in the context of telecom, policy-and-legislation, and politics.
- The firing of cybersecurity experts like Jen Easterly and Chris Krebs, and the accusations of political bias, raise questions about the future of AI in election security, crime-and-justice, general-news, and security-war-and-conflicts.
- The rescinded appointment of Easterly, along with the controversy surrounding her predecessor Krebs, has implications for casino-and-gambling industries, given the rise of sports-betting and the interconnected nature of digital systems.
- As the selection of West Point instructors comes under review, many in the science community are concerned about the impact on education in areas like cybersecurity, contributing to a potentially weaker defense against cyber threats.
- The recent events highlight the importance of maintaining a clear policy-and-legislation framework for AI and cybersecurity, ensuring that the principles of loyalty and national security, as Easterly emphasized, are upheld.
- The removal of cybersecurity experts without valid reasons, as occurred with Easterly and Krebs, could have serious repercussions for the casino-personalities who rely on secure transactions and digital privacy, further emphasizing the need for strong cybersecurity measures.
- As the future of CISA's leadership under Sean Plankey unfolds, global economies, including those heavily reliant on casino-and-gambling, sports, and telecom, must closely monitor the developments and their potential impact on cybersecurity, and therefore, national security.
