WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has ordered hundreds of Pentagon advisers to resign this month as part of a broad review of the panels, which in fact included several dozen last-minute appointments under the Trump administration abandoned.
During the last two months of his tenure, former acting secretary of defense Christopher Miller removed a number of longtime members of several defense policy, health, science and business councils and replaced many with loyalists of former President Donald Trump. More than thirty of those replacements will now be forced to resign, including former GOP House speaker Newt Gingrich, a retired brig. Gen. Anthony Tata and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski.
“I recommend the immediate suspension of all advisory committees until the investigation is completed, unless otherwise directed by me or the Deputy Secretary of Defense,” Austin said in a memorandum. And he ordered that all committee members appointed by the Secretary of Defense should resign no later than February 16th.
Tata, a former Fox News commentator, could not get through the Senate’s confirmation due to offensive remarks he made, including about Islam. He was appointed acting secretary of defense for policy in November, a few days after Trump fired Pentagon chief Mark Esper and put Miller in office. Miller appointed Tata to the Defense Policy Council on January 19, his last full day. Gingrich was appointed to the same board. Lewandowski was appointed to the Defense Council.
A senior defense official said Austin’s decision was driven by Miller’s frenetic activity to remove dozens of board members and replace them in such a short time between Trump’s election loss and the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Austin believes the cessation of the activities of all boards and a more intensive investigation is the fairest and most consistent process.
Officials said the inquiry would look into whether the boards have overlapping jurisdictions and whether they should be repossessed and whether money could be saved by curtailing some of them. It will also make recommendations on the membership balance, size and mission of all the boards.