President Donald Trump fired Retired General Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Monday as part of a purge of over 1,000 individuals appointed under the Biden-Harris administration.
In a statement shared on Truth Social at roughly 12:30 a.m., Trump wrote, “Our first day in the White House is not over yet! My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again.”
The president added, “Let this serve as Official Notice of Dismissal for these 4 individuals, with many more, coming 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 Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President’s Export Council—YOU’RE FIRED!”
According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s website, the members of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council “advise the White House on how to reduce physical and cyber risks and improve the security and resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure sectors.” The National Review reported that prior to the president’s announcement, Milley was one of roughly 30 members on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council.
According to The National Review, in addition to being fired by the president shortly after Trump’s inauguration, Milley’s military portrait was removed from the Pentagon within the first couple hours of Trump’s presidency. The outlet noted that the White House is believed to have ordered the removal of Milley’s portrait.
Former President Joe Biden preemptively pardoned the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the final hours of his administration on Monday amid concerns that Trump could take action against Milley.
The National Review reported that Milley turned against Trump in the aftermath of the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and has continued to criticize the president.
During the 2024 presidential election cycle, Milley described Trump as a “total fascist” and “the most dangerous person,” according to The Guardian.
“He is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he’s a total fascist,” Milley said. “He is now the most dangerous person to this country. A fascist to the core.”
