Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll has ordered the US Military Academy at West Point to cancel its job offer to Jen Easterly, a cybersecurity expert and Army veteran who served under former President Joe Biden.Driscoll made the decision public in a social media post, stepping in as Pentagon leaders increasingly influence staffing and academic decisions at military academies. Easterly, who also worked under President George W. Bush’s national security adviser Condoleezza Rice was briefly appointed to a top position in West Point’s social sciences department — but the announcement was quietly removed, The New York Times reported.
Why did Laura Loomer question Jen Easterly’s appointment?
Earlier on Tuesday, West Point’s announcement of Jen Easterly’s appointment drew backlash from far-right activist Laura Loomer. Loomer, who earlier this year prompted the dismissal of numerous national security officials she claimed were disloyal, mentioned defense secretary Pete Hegseth in a post, claiming Easterly worked “to silence Trump supporters under Biden.”In a memorandum regarding hiring guidelines, Driscoll stated that the academy “terminates the gratuitous service agreement with Jen Easterly.”“She will no longer serve as the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in the department of social sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York,” he added.Additionally, Driscoll mandated West Point to undertake a “top-down review” of its recruitment procedures.The withdrawal of Easterly’s appointment exemplifies the Pentagon’s ongoing conflict with perceived political opponents.Earlier this month, Hegseth declined to promote a senior Army officer, Lt. Gen. Douglas A Sims II, despite his leadership of troops across five deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, citing the officer’s close association with Gen. Mark A. Milley, a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chair disliked by Trump.
Who is Laura Loomer?
Laura Loomer, known for her conspiracy theories, has gained growing influence over national security staffing decisions during President Donald Trump’s second term.Loomer was against extending the H-1B program standing firm on the America First policy. She calls herself a “proud Islamophobe” and a “pro-while nationalist”. Loomer has run for Congress twice as a Republican, losing in Florida’s 21st district in 2020 to Democrat Lois Frankel and in the 2022 primary for Florida’s 11th district to incumbent Daniel Webster. Despite these losses, she has remained a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, who endorsed her 2020 campaign and has praised her as a “free spirit.”