Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Fires Hundreds of Trump Appointees

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered for the resignation of hundreds of Trump appointees on the Pentagon advisory board members. The order came as part of a broad review of the panels, and would take effect on Feb. 16.

Former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, in the last two months of his tenure, removed several longtime members from the defense policy, science, health, and business board, replacing them with Trump appointees and loyalists. Many of those appointees are now forced to resign including retired Brig. Gen Anthony Tata, GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski.

Tata was appointed acting defense undersecretary for policy in November, few days after former U.S. President Donald Trump lost the presidential votes. In the same month, Trump fired Pentagon chief Mark Esper and replaced him with Miller who then appointed Tata to the Defense Policy Board on January 19. Gingrich was appointed to the same board, and Lewandowski was appointed to the Defense Business Board.

“I am directing the immediate suspension of all advisory committee operations until the review is completed unless otherwise directed by myself or the deputy secretary of defense,” said Austin in a Tuesday memo.

A senior defense official said the decision to fire the mentioned appointees was driven by the questionable activity of Miller to remove dozens of board members and replace them with Trump loyalists within a short time between Trump’s election loss and Biden’s inauguration.

“The frenetic activity that occurred to the composition of so many boards in just the period of November to January deeply concerned the Secretary,” said Press Secretary John Kirby on Tuesday.

Defense officials also say that the review will check whether the boards have overlapping jurisdictions and whether they should be realigned. It will also check if money can be saved by cutting off some of them.

The Pentagon advisory board is usually made up nonpartisan and unpaid business leaders and other experts who meet periodically to review DOD operations and give advice where necessary. Former President Trump breached the policy of the group by appointing allies like Lewandowski and Tata.