The Social Security Administration, which operates independently, pays out more than $1T per year.
WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul, a holdover from President Donald Trump who regularly drew criticism from Democrats,
unions and social welfare advocates.
The White House confirmed the termination, saying Saul was notified of the decision after he refused to resign at the president’s request.
A White House official accused Saul of taking action during his tenure that “undermined and politicized Social Security disability benefits,” hurt relationships with federal employee unions and ran “contrary to the mission of the agency and the President’s policy agenda.”
President Biden fired the head of the Social Security Administration.
Andrew Saul during his nomination hearing to head the Social Security Administration in 2018.Credit.J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press
July 9, 2021
President Biden on Friday fired the man President Donald J. Trump appointed to lead the Social Security Administration, triggering a legal showdown over who rightfully holds the position.
Mr. Biden asked on Friday morning for the resignation of Andrew Saul, the Social Security commissioner, and David Black as deputy commissioner. Mr. Black resigned as requested but Mr. Saul refused to relinquish his position and was notified by the administration that he had been fired. He has vowed to fight Mr. Biden’s move as illegal.
Biden fires Trump-era Social Security commissioner after he refuses to resign Chelsey Cox and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY
This is why Social Security is running out of money
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WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul, a holdover from President Donald Trump who regularly drew criticism from Democrats, unions and social welfare advocates.
The White House confirmed the termination, saying Saul was notified of the decision after he refused to resign at the president’s request.
A White House official accused Saul of taking action during his tenure that “undermined and politicized Social Security disability benefits,” hurt relationships with federal employee unions and ran “contrary to the mission of the agency and the President’s policy agenda.”
Biden Ousts Trump Holdovers from Social Security Administration
Removal of the agency’s leadership follows a Supreme Court decision finding that laws barring a president from firing political appointees without cause are unconstitutional.
The Biden administration on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul and Deputy Commissioner David Black, following months of lobbying by advocacy groups and federal employee unions.
Kilolo Kijakazi, the agency’s deputy commissioner for the retirement and disability policy and a Biden appointee, will lead the agency on an acting basis. Kijakazi announced the ouster of Saul and Black, both holdovers from the Trump administration, in an email to Social Security employees Friday afternoon.