Many a head are exploding in Trumpland after the Biden administration told ex-President Donald Trump’s appointees on military academy boards, including Kellyanne Conway and former national security adviser H.R. McMaster, on Wednesday to either resign by 6:00 p.m. ET that day or else get axed.
The main point of attack from Trump lackeys is the blatantly unserious accusation that President Joe Biden was “politicizing” the military and stomping on dearly-held presidential norms.
Sean Spicer, who was installed at the advisory board of the U.S. Naval Academy after an embarrassing tenure as Trump’s White House press secretary, went on a full tirade during his show on right-wing outlet Newsmax as he declared that he would not be resigning.
Spicer vowed he would sue to “fight” against his removal, and he somehow managed to drag “critical race theory” — a Very Sensitive GOP grievance — into the long-winded rant as he accused the Biden administration of playing politics.
The ex-Trump official also attacked White House press secretary Jen Psaki over her remarks on the purge, shouting “don’t you dare ever minimize or question my service to this nation! You got it?”
BREAKING: As the Biden administration attempts to remove Trump appointees from their Military Academy boards, @seanspicer calls out White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, and announces he will take legal action against the decision. pic.twitter.com/bPgLlJhFzK
— Newsmax (@newsmax) September 8, 2021
Ex-White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, an appointee to the U.S. Air Force Academy board, went the “no, u” route, telling Biden in a letter that “I’m not resigning, but you should” and complaining that the White House’s demand was a “break from presidential norms.”
Conway, who is definitely Not Mad about all this, later mocked “left-wing” Twitter (while taking a not-so-subtle shot at her husband, George Conway) and claimed she was “WORRIED” for her critics.
“LOLOL,” she tweeted.
Since I'm not the Conway on Twitter regularly, I'd forgotten how left-wing it is and how nutty some people are. LOLOL. I'm WORRIED for you. Get some fresh air, folks. Wear pants that button and zipper again. Get a hobby that doesn't involve a keyboard. Make a friend. https://t.co/k1mR2JVLON
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) September 8, 2021
Meaghan Mobbs, who was appointed to the advisory board of West Point Academy, complained about the White House’s “unconscionable” request, and also swore she would not resign.
“It is tragic that this great institution is now being subjected to and hijacked by partisan action that serves no purpose and no greater good,” Mobbs said in a statement.
She told Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on Thursday morning that it was “imperative” to “fight” against the removals because “one of the last places where we should be politicizing anything is our United States military academies.”
In fact, Kilmeade and fellow co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Steve Doocy dedicated a chunk of their morning program on Thursday to kicking up a fuss over the White House’s purge.
“These people are patriots,” Kilmeade fumed. “They want to serve the country because they think they have a skill set that would work. They enjoyed doing it.”
“Clearly the Biden administration wants people on these boards who think that what Joe Biden does is brilliant,” Doocy snarked.
Fox News hosts throw a fit over the White House getting rid of Trump appointees on military academy advisory boards. pic.twitter.com/Pwcw0ANVy8
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) September 9, 2021
Laura Trump, the ex-president’s daughter-in-law, groaned that the removals were “not surprising” during an appearance on Fox on Thursday. It just comes with the Trumper territory, she complained.
“This is sadly the way that the Trump people are treated,” she said. “We’re used to this kind of treatment. I’m not surprised to see it.”
Another victim, lawyer John Coale, who had been tapped to join the Naval Academy board, told Politico he was “pissed off” about his firing.
But the whines heard ’round the world were apparently unpersuasive for some reason.
Psaki stood firm in the White House’s purge during a CNN interview on Thursday morning, pointing out that not only does Biden have the right to choose the advisers, but also the fact that many of the ousted Trump officials backed the ex-president even when he incited the violent Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
“I will say that there are some people, of course, on these boards, who have supported or stood by silently while their former boss supported an insurrection. That’s not really okay with us either,” she said.
My understanding is these advisory board positions don’t pay anything, but I guess they do give one access to government officials, and likely some credentials for entering certain buildings. Plus they’re nice resume decorators.
Chickenhawk shrikes, cosplayers, warmongers, and treason-enablers squeal like the pigs-at-the-trough that they are.
(Great headline and lede, TPM editors!)
I love how these people are so deeply outraged when the rest of the world fails to meet their own high ethical standards. Oh, how they draw themselves up to their full height and tell their antagonists how petty and awful they are! You’re breaking presidential norms! You’re being partisan! You’re politicizing things that weren’t before! Oh, bring up my fainting couch!
Eejits. You can take your fired asses right out the door over there, and mind that doorknob.
T**** foot soldiers?
More like T***** ass-kissers…