Pres. Joe Biden Fires Donald Trump-Appointed Head of Social Security Administration, Andrew Saul

By Mary Webber First Posted: Jul 09, 2021 09:00 PM EDT

President Joe Biden has fired Donald Trump-appointed head of Social Security Administration, Andrew Saul, after he refused to resign.

The White House said the Social Security head "undermined and politicized" the department's benefits, among other factors that warranted his firing, CNBC reported.

Another Donald Trump appointee in the agency, who was Andrew Saul's deputy, resigned on Friday, July 9, after the White House's request. Saul's deputy was David Black.

The White House also cited other reasons for Saul's firing, such as terminating the agency's telework policy, which was used by up to 25 percent of the workforce, and reducing due process protections for benefits hearings, among others.

The White House added that Andrew Saul had taken other actions that opposed the mission of the agency and the president's policy agenda.

On the other hand, Andrew Saul argued that the White House did not have the power to fire him, according to The Hill report.

Saul told The Washington Post that he considers himself the term-protected Commissioner of Social Security. He added that he intended to return to work on Monday remotely.

Recent Supreme Court rulings backed up the White House's decision. It came a day after a Justice Department's opinion said that the president may remove the commissioner of the Social Security Administration at will.

Andrew Saul aims to return to work on Monday remotely. He added that he was "very upset" about his sudden dismissal and cited the two years of progress in modernizing the agency's operations.

Joe Biden has named Kilolo Kijakazi as acting commissioner as he searches for a permanent replacement for the post. The president's nominee will need to be confirmed by the Senate.

Opposition on The Decision of Joe Biden to Fire Social Security Head Andrew Saul

Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers had criticized Joe Biden's move on removing Andrew Saul from the agency, saying that the administration is inserting politics into a typically apolitical agency, NBC News reported.

Sen. Chuck Grassley took on Twitter and said that the decision was "outrageous." Grassley noted that Saul was appointed to a six-year term and was confirmed with a bipartisan vote in 2019.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to Grassley's sentiments in a tweet. McConnell said that the removal was unprecedented and dangerous politicization of the agency.

House Ways and Means Committee ranking member Kevin Brady also said it was a "partisan decision." The Senate Finance Committee ranking member Mike Crapo shared the same comments with Brady on the matter.

Brady and Crapo said they are concerned that this politicization is just the beginning of raising payroll taxes and undermining bipartisan efforts.

On the other hand, Sen. Ron Wyden said that every president should be able to choose the personnel that will best carry out their vision for the country.

The Hill reported that Wyden said he would work closely with Joe Biden to confirm a new commissioner and possibly lead the agency.

Social Security Administration

The agency started in 1935 and was later folded into Health and Human Services. It regained its status as an independent agency in the mid-1990s to shield it from politics, with a commissioner's six-year term designed to overlapping presidential administrations.

According to The Washington Post, an incoming president can fire the commissioner only for a cause, as stated under the Social Security Act.

Under Saul's leadership, the agency had improved outreach to vulnerable populations to help them access benefits after applications jumped during the pandemic.

Many Democrats were alarmed during Andrew Saul's term, saying that the Donald Trump appointee was in the position to put the former president's name on one of the government's biggest agencies.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Hatch Opens Hearing to Consider Andrew Saul for Commissioner of the SSA - From GOPSenateFinance