Former President Donald Trump has made headlines once again by dismissing several key figures from various advisory councils. On Tuesday, Trump announced the removal of Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President's Export Council. Additionally, he fired celebrity chef José Andrés from the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. The decision follows Trump's pattern of reshaping advisory bodies, aiming to distance himself from critics and adversaries.
Mark Milley, a retired army general and former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under both Trump and President Joe Biden, has been a vocal critic of Trump since the end of his first term. Milley accused Trump of being a "total fascist" and stated that "no one has ever been as dangerous to this country." His relationship with Trump soured further after Trump called a phone call Milley made to Chinese officials "treasonous," suggesting it was "so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!"
In addition to removing Milley from the advisory council, Trump ordered that Milley's portrait be taken down from the Pentagon—a potent symbol of their fractured relationship. Biden took a significant step to protect Milley by preemptively pardoning him on Monday morning, marking one of his final decisions in office.
José Andrés, a renowned chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, contradicted Trump's announcement of his firing by stating he had already submitted his resignation.
“I submitted my resignation last week … my two-year term was already up,” said Andrés.
Andrés has been a vocal opponent of Trump in the past and continues his humanitarian work through his organization, which provides food in disaster zones.
Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, also found herself dismissed from her role on the President's Export Council. Her removal aligns with Trump's broader strategy to purge figures associated with the Biden administration.
Trump's recent actions have sparked intense debate and criticism. His condemnation of Milley as "the most dangerous person ever" underscores the deep division between them. Meanwhile, Trump's critical stance on Israel's war on Gaza and his response to a tragic incident involving World Central Kitchen staff further illustrate his contentious approach to international and humanitarian issues.