Army Secretary Rescinds West Point Appointment for Former CISA Director After Far-Right Backlash

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll directed the United States Military Academy at West Point to rescind the appointment of Jen Easterly, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under President Joe Biden, to the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in the Department of Social Sciences. This decision followed public criticism from far-right activist Laura Loomer, who accused Easterly and other Biden-era officials of undermining President Donald Trump’s administration and promoting censorship, particularly related to election misinformation efforts during her tenure at CISA. Driscoll's directive also included a broader review of West Point’s hiring practices and a halt to outside groups influencing employee selections, aiming to ensure ideological alignment and control over military academy staffing. Easterly, a West Point graduate and Army veteran, had been selected for a role involving limited lectures and no full-time teaching responsibilities, but her appointment was swiftly withdrawn amid political pressure. The incident underscores the Trump administration’s assertive approach to reshaping military and educational leadership by removing figures associated with previous administrations and addressing concerns about ideological loyalty and censorship claims. The Army emphasized its intent to prepare future officers for modern battlefield demands while asserting tighter control over academy appointments.