Two of Donald Trump’s appointees to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition are getting the boot. President Biden requested the resignations of both Dr. Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker this week.
Oz and Walker were first given their spots on the council back in 2018, during Trump’s presidency. Following his first impeachment, Trump reappointed both men to a two-year term in 2020. But it’s against the Biden administration’s policy for federal candidates to serve on presidential boards, so Oz and Walker will not be able to finish those terms (both would expire in December).
Both men are now running for Senate, with Walker running in Georgia and Oz hoping to get the nomination in Pennsylvania. Letters to Oz and Walker were sent on Wednesday, requesting their resignations.
Oz expressed his dismay over the move on Twitter, posting a video as part of a thread, and noting that he has “no intention of resigning.”
“It’s sad that he would politicize such an important issue like health,” Oz tweeted. “The doctor he should ask to resign is Dr. Fauci, for a multitude of obvious reasons. With that said, I am beyond grateful to President Trump for appointing me to this very prestigious & important position. I am also grateful to my colleagues on the committee & proud of everything we were able to achieve. However, I have no intention of resigning.”
Walker publicly commented on the letter later in a Thursday tweet.
