Trump Administration Purges Over 1,000 Biden Appointees in Sweeping Government Overhaul

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump‘s administration has initiated a sweeping purge of over 1,000 Biden-era appointees from federal roles, including high-profile dismissals and resignations, as part of a broader effort to reshape the government.

Trump announced the move Tuesday on Truth Social, stating his personnel office is “identifying and removing over a thousand presidential Appointees from the previous Administration.” Among those dismissed were celebrity chef José Andrés, retired Gen. Mark Milley, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and former Iran envoy Brian Hook. Trump used his signature catchphrase, “YOU’RE FIRED!” in the post.

Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan, who was not mentioned in Trump’s post, was also terminated Monday by Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman for performance reasons, according to sources. Some appointees, including Andrés and Bottoms, claimed they had already resigned before Trump’s announcement.

Trump did not specify reasons for the terminations, but Andrés, Bottoms, and Milley have publicly clashed with the former president. Andrés previously sued Trump over a canceled restaurant deal after Trump made disparaging remarks about Mexicans. Bottoms criticized Trump’s rhetoric during the 2020 George Floyd protests, while Milley, who was preemptively pardoned by former President Joe Biden, was labeled “the most dangerous person to this country” by Trump in Bob Woodward‘s book “War.”

Federal advisory council roles, such as those held by Andrés and Bottoms, are typically unpaid positions with limited authority. Biden also removed Trump-era appointees during his presidency, including all 18 of his appointees to the boards of national military academies.

The terminations are part of a broader series of actions Trump has taken since returning to office. On his first day, he signed executive orders addressing immigration, energy, TikTok, and federal workforce policies, including suspending hiring and ending work-from-home programs. Trump is expected to implement significant cuts to the federal bureaucracy, aided by the newly established Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency.

In addition to the personnel changes, Trump pardoned all but 14 individuals convicted or charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, effectively dismissing over 1,500 cases. Meanwhile, the Senate is advancing Trump’s cabinet nominees, including his picks for Defense Secretary and Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent.