The following is the transcript of an interview with CBS News contributors Chris Krebs and David Becker that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on July 19, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And for more on election security, we're joined now by CBS News contributors David Becker and Chris Krebs. Good to have you both here, because I want to download from both of you what we should be understanding about this past week. Chris, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, appointed you to run the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA, to help states protect their election infrastructure during 2020. You stated that it was a secure election, and the president fired you for saying that. This past Thursday, he again insisted it was not secure. Did you hear anything that changes your assessment?
CBS NEWS CYBERSECURITY EXPERT AND ANALYST CHRIS KREBS: Not at all. In fact, I would say that it further bolsters my confidence in the security of the 2020 election based on what has been disclosed last week and all the information and results of court challenges over the past six years. It is also a good opportunity to reflect on the work of the hundreds of thousands of election workers and federal employees who helped execute and protect the 2020 election, which was years in the making.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary Mullins said Friday he'll have a plan within 30 days. We are 100 days out from the midterms.
KREBS: In 2020, we had our CISA election security plan out in February of that year.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Just to clarify, during his first few months in office, the president issued an executive order against you, claiming you promoted the censorship of election information and dismissed election malfeasance and vulnerabilities with voting machines. In intelligence terms, how would you describe the Chinese role in the 2020 election?
KREBS: There was a debate across the intelligence community about China's intentions. Ultimately, the intelligence community assessment released in spring 2021 indicated that China had a preference against President Trump, but their efforts were primarily focused on influencing the American public through media.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Here is exactly what President Trump said on Thursday about China.
[START SOUND ON TAPE] PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They did not disclose to me as president or to anyone else, and to the best of our knowledge, they did not inform Congress. In fact, all they kept saying is, "this is the most secure election in the history of our country" -- a standard line that was repeated. [END SOUND ON TAPE]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Was the president informed of what China was doing? You were in those rooms.
KREBS: In January 2020, there was a National Intelligence Community memorandum about the 2020 election discussing vulnerabilities and adversary intent. Many of these products were presented to senior executives and policymakers regularly. I had an op-ed in September 2020 discussing various threat actors, including China. Therefore, I find it hard to believe that this information did not reach the Oval Office.
MARGARET BRENNAN: As China was described as attempting to influence, Iran and Russia were identified as primary actors directly undermining the election. It seems you are suggesting he didn't read the memo.
KREBS: We could not have been more clear, in my view.
MARGARET BRENNAN: David, I want to go to you because the president made several statements. One of the other elements this week was the Justice Department's communication. Harmeet Dhillon sent a letter to states stating that any election official who knowingly retains non-citizens on voter registration lists or facilitates non-citizens in casting ballots will be held criminally liable. DHS Secretary Mullin described the consequences of refusing to participate in their program. Take a listen.
[START SOUND ON TAPE] DHS SECRETARY MARKWAYNE MULLIN: If the election officials, once we provided them the information needed to secure their elections, chose not to comply, they could be held accountable by fines, penalties, and potentially prison time.