Jan 21, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump says Mark Milley and José Andrés are "FIRED!"

Rebecca Falconer

The Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks to the media after a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base on January 20, 2023 in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. — Retired Gen. Mark Milley in January 2023. Photo: Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images

President Trump said early Tuesday his staffers are "actively in the process of identifying and removing" over a 1,000 presidential appointees from the Biden administration, including retired U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley and celebrity chef José Andrés.

Why it matters: It's part of Trump's MAGA agenda drive for his second administration and push to unravel his predecessor former President Biden's policies and wider legacy.

Driving the news: Trump said on Truth Social his Presidential Personnel Office is targeting appointees from the previous administration "who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again."

Trump identified four people in the post, whom he said he's issuing a notice of dismissal with "many more" to come soon.
"Jose Andres from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars, and [former Atlanta Mayor] Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President's Export Council — YOU'RE FIRED!" Trump wrote.

Zoom out: Milley, who served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2023, was among those issued with a preemptive pardon before Biden left office on Monday.

Flashback: Trump's top general calls former president "fascist" and "dangerous" threat

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Trump says Mark Milley and José Andrés are "FIRED!"

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