Former President Trump left a parting gift before leaving the White House, and his successor is not happy about it.
Dozens of Republican allies were appointed to various government boards and commissions all across the country. Now, President Biden is looking into how his administration can replace the number of Trump appointees on these boards. Including among them is those overseeing the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and the Air Force Academy.
Although some of Trump’s appointees might be replaced, most of them may be protected until their terms are up years later.
Before leaving office, Trump appointed dozens of allies & former aides to a wide range of gov’t boards and commissions — and there’s not much Joe Biden can do about it. Those reviewed the law governing the boards say removing appointees can be difficult.https://t.co/an4oyZnwT1
— Hiro Lee (@Hiro_Lee8) January 28, 2021
According to the reports of Politico, the Biden team is trying to determine if they could do anything about these appointments. A person who is familiar with the matter stated that “We are tracking closely and seeing what we can do.”
However, those who have reviewed the law that governs these boards states that removing appointees can be difficult, particularly if they come with political or business connections that could help the organizations.
Most of these appointees also do not need Senate confirmations to stay, and they will remain in office until the end of their terms. Those who supported former President Trump’s appointments stated that lawmakers should do a way to change it if Congress opposes the appointment process.
On the other hand, Biden may still be able to replace some of Trump’s allies on commissions. Including among them is his appointments in the Pentagon Defense Business Board. This position gives business advice to the secretary of defense and does not have set term limits for their members.
Other boards that Biden can replace are those in the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board. This position has a five-year term, which may prove difficult if not impossible to change before members’ terms are up.
Although these board positions are usually not salaried, it brings many perks to their members such as access to exclusive events or travel money.
President Joe Biden began his term tearing down everything President Donald Trump did – erasing everything he achieved – no matter how it benefited Americans or how many Americans supported it.https://t.co/NXZHQgZGAW
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) January 24, 2021
Since Biden’s inauguration last week, his administration has devoted itself to erasing much of Trump’s legacy and modifications to the federal government.
In his first week in office, Biden issued dozens of executive orders, more than triple the number of former Presidents Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush each passed in their first week in office combined.
One of Biden agenda’s main focuses is to track down the fossil fuel industry by preventing its production and revoking permits for development. On his first day, President Bidena also signed an Executive Order which directs the country to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. This move is only a symbolic gesture as it does not have any legal weight committing the country to cut emissions.
On top of that, Biden also revoked a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline that affected 11,000 jobs. This also indefinitely suspends new oil and gas leases on federal lands and locked back up massive oil reserves in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
US President Trump spent years limiting the number of refugees coming to the US. This year, the Trump administration set a cap of 15,000, the lowest level since 1980.
President-elect Biden has pledged to set the annual refugee admissions cap at 125,000. https://t.co/cpOIlJAZt4
— CNN International (@cnni) December 23, 2020
President Biden has also begun touching on Trump-era policies as he reportedly intends to increase the number of refugees allowed to enter the United States. Biden has already ventured to freeze deportations of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
