The Trump administration has issued an ultimatum to three Democratic members of the U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), demanding their resignations by the end of Thursday or face termination. The members include Chair Sharon Bradford Franklin, Edward Felten, and Travis LeBlanc, all of whom were appointed by Democratic administrations. They were unavailable for comment at the time.
As part of his broader push to reshape the federal government, Republican President Donald Trump, who took office on January 20, has vowed to remove civil servants and officials who do not align with his political agenda. He also aims to strip job protections from thousands of federal employees.
PCLOB, an independent executive branch agency, is responsible for ensuring that federal government programs designed to combat extremism are balanced with the protection of civil liberties and privacy rights. It was established by the 9/11 Commission in 2004, in response to the September 11 attacks.
The White House sent letters to the three Democratic members of PCLOB on Tuesday night, demanding their resignation. The board can have up to five members, but no more than three can be from the president’s party. A fifth seat has remained vacant for years, and if the three Democrats leave, the board will be left with just one active member.
The White House has yet to comment on the resignations, and further developments remain awaited.
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