Biden ousts 18 Trump military academy board appointees – KIRO 7 News Seattle

WASHINGTON – (AP) – The Biden administration dismissed 18 people appointed to the boards of the U.S. Military Academy by Donald Trump in the final months of the Republican president’s tenure on Wednesday, according to the White House.

Cathy Russell, Director of Human Resources for the President of the White House, sent letters to 18 people nominated to the Air Force Academy, Military Academy, and Naval Academy visiting committees asking them to resign or with the Wednesday close of business Termination expected.

Biden’s displaced include a number of senior officials in the Trump administration, including White House Advisor Kellyanne Conway (Air Force Academy), Press Secretary Sean Spicer (Naval Academy), National Security Advisor HR McMaster (Military Academy), and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought (Naval Academy).

White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed that former Trump officials have been asked to resign or dismiss. It was not immediately clear if any of those who submitted their resignation did so before a 6 p.m. deadline set by the White House.

“I will let others judge whether they think Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer and others are qualified or politically non-political to serve on these bodies,” said Psaki. “But the president’s qualification requirements are not your party registration. You are whether you are qualified to serve and whether you agree with the values ​​of that administration. “

Several of those asked to resign were pushed back. Conway stabbed Biden and said, “I’m not quitting, but you should.” She went on in a statement calling it a “disappointing but understandable” attempt to divert attention from the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, a surge in COVID-19 cases and a disappointing job report in August.

Vought posted the letter he had received from Russell on Twitter and replied, “No. The term of office is three years. “

Jonathan Hiler, a Navy Academy graduate who served as director of legislative affairs for Vice President Mike Pence, said he would “not step down”.

“As an alum and a former naval officer, I believe that developing leaders capable of defending our country’s interests at sea – the USNA’s mission – is not something that should be eaten up by partisan politics. Apparently President Biden feels different. @WhiteHouse, “wrote Hiler on Twitter.

Spicer, who works for the conservative news broadcaster Newsmax, criticized Biden in his own social media posting for trying to terminate Trump officials instead of “focusing on the stranded Americans in #Afghanistan”.

Later at Newsmax, Spicer accused Psaki of minimizing his military service and that of other veterans appointed to boards by Trump. He announced that he would take legal action against the decision.

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