White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the Biden administration’s move to oust several Trump-era appointees from military academy boards.
The administration will begin the process of removing 18 appointees of former President Donald Trump who sit on the boards of the Air Force Academy, the Military Academy, and the Naval Academy, she said.
Among those asked to resign were former Trump administration counselor Kellyanne Conway, former Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, according to the officials, who confirmed on social media and in the press that they were being ousted.
Spicer, who hosts a Newsmax program, said he would file a lawsuit against the administration over his firing.
“I will not be submitting my resignation, and I will be joining a lawsuit to fight this,” Spicer said on Sept. 8 during his show.
Spicer was a public affairs officer in the Navy and joined the Navy Reserve in 1999.
“No. It’s a three-year term,” Vought wrote.
Jonathan Hiler, a Naval Academy alumnus who served as director of legislative affairs for Vice President Mike Pence, said he was “not resigning,” when he was asked.
About two months ago, the administration also removed Andrew Saul, the Trump-appointed commissioner of the Social Security Administration. At the time, Saul said he wouldn’t resign but was ultimately ousted.
White House officials didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for additional comment.