White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is defending the administration’s move to oust former President Donald Trump’s appointees from military advisory boards.
Her comments came Thursday during an interview on CNN’s “New Day.” A clip of the video is posted on the show’s Twitter account.
“We’re confident in our legal abilities here,” Psaki said. “But I will tell you no one is looking to have a battle here. The president of the United States, just as every president and every administration and Cabinet members, have the right to appoint people they deem as qualified, as aligned with the administration’s priorities, to these boards and to any position in the federal government. And that’s what we’re really talking about here.”
Host John Berman noted that traditionally these appointees do serve out a full three-year term.
“This really goes back to what every president’s right is, which is to appoint individuals they choose because they’re aligned with their values, because they are aligned with their qualifications that they deem for any of these positions for any of these boards,” Psaki said. “That’s what’s taking place here. It’s not personal.
“I will say there are some people on these boards who have supported, or stood by silently, while their former boss supported an insurrection. That’s really not okay with us either.”
The Hill noted that those asked to resign include former White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway, former Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, and former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Also among those targeted are H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser, and Meaghan Mobbs, a former adviser to the Trump campaign and an Afghanistan veteran.
Conway rejected the Biden administration’s request to resign from an Air Force Academy advisory board Wednesday, instead calling on President Joe Biden to resign.
She joins Spicer, now a The Patriot Depot host, and Vought in refusing the Biden administration’s demand for their resignations.
