The White House said on Thursday, August 28, that it had fired Surface Transportation Board (STB) member Robert Primus. The firing comes as the US rail regulator is considering a proposed $85 billion merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, Reuters reported.
According to White House spokesman Kush Desai, Primus is not aligned with President Trump’s agenda, and he said, “The Administration intends to nominate new, more qualified members to the Surface Transportation Board in short order.”
Trump has fired two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter; National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Alvin Brown; National Labor Relations Board Member Gwynne Wilcox; Merit Systems Protection Board Member Cathy Harris; and Federal Election Commission member Ellen Weintraub. He has also fired US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. And so far, the Trump administration has fired STB board member Robert Primus.
Reuters reported that some of Primus’ social media posts, unrelated to the work of the STB board, indicate strong disagreement with some Trump administration policies.
Also Read: Trump’s 50% Tariffs India on Over Russia Oil Ignites Powerful Self Reliance
According to Reuters, Primus previously said he rejected the White House resignation email as “legally invalid.” He said it would weaken the board and negatively impact the freight rail network in a way that could ultimately harm consumers and the economy.
“With all of this in mind, I plan to continue to discharge my duties as a member of the Board and, if I’m prevented from doing so, I will explore my legal options,” he said in a post on LinkedIn.