The dismissed person stated that he refuses to leave his post.
US President Joe Biden fired Andrew Saul, a commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), who was appointed to this post by President Trump. Saul told the Washington Post that he intends to continue working, since his term of office has not expired.
Saul took office in 2019, he was nominated for this post by President Trump and confirmed by the US Senate – his term of office was six years.
A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Andrew Saul refused to resign as he was asked and was informed that his work as a commission agent was terminated.”
According to a White House spokesman, Saul’s actions “contradict the agency’s tasks and the president’s action program.” Among them are the politicization of the decision to provide disability benefits, the termination of the remote work of employees (the decision had to be canceled after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic), and the lack of progress in relations with unions representing the interests of federal employees.
Before his appointment to this post, Saul had long supported the reduction of social programs.
Saul’s deputy, David Black, also a Trump appointee, resigned after receiving a corresponding proposal.
Joe Biden appointed Kilolo Kijakazi, who previously served as one of Saul’s deputies, as acting commissioner.
The Social Security Administration is an independent federal agency of the United States responsible for the pension and insurance coverage of Americans. The Administration’s budget exceeds a trillion dollars.
