Military leader commands West Point to revoke the nomination of the cybersecurity chief from the Biden administration
West Point Rescinds Offer to Jen Easterly Amidst Controversy
Jen Easterly, a West Point graduate and former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under President Joe Biden, has had her appointment as the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in West Point's Department of Social Sciences rescinded. This decision was made following public criticism from far-right activist Laura Loomer, who accused Easterly of undermining the Trump administration.
Easterly's tenure at CISA saw her working to counter misinformation, particularly in relation to election security and the COVID-19 pandemic. This role drew criticism from Republican circles, who viewed it as censorship. Loomer's social media posts pressuring West Point led to Easterly's removal, reflecting a broader effort by the Trump administration and its allies to reshape military and educational institutions ideologically by controlling leadership appointments.
The Army Secretary, Dan Driscoll, has ordered West Point to conduct a thorough review of its hiring practices in response to this incident. The review aims to end outside groups influencing hiring and assess West Point's personnel selection policies.
Easterly, an Army combat veteran, has denied allegations that her agency censored anyone. An Army spokesperson stated that ahead of the new academic year, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point is crafting a deliberate approach to prepare future officers for the demands of the modern battlefield.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell emphasized that the academy's focus is on warfighting and producing warriors and leaders, not censorship activists. Easterly did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the memo and her removal from West Point's social sciences department.
This episode highlights tensions between political influences, military academy governance, and concerns over ideological loyalty within key national institutions. It also underscores the ongoing struggle between different political ideologies in shaping the leadership and direction of the country's most prestigious institutions.
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