Biden Fires Social Security Commissioner Appointed by Trump - Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden has fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul who had refused a request to resign, Axios reports.

Saul was nominated to the position by former US President Donald Trump in 2018 and his term was supposed to last until January 2025, Axios said on Friday.

The White House said in a statement quoted by the Washington Post on Friday that Saul "has undermined and politicized Social Security disability benefits, terminated the agency’s telework policy that was utilized by up to 25 percent of the agency’s workforce," and "taken other actions that run contrary to the mission of the agency and the President’s policy agenda."

According to the White House, Biden has the power to fire Saul since a recent Supreme Court decision enabled the US president to fire the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Nonetheless, Saul has disputed his firing, telling The Washington Post that the White House lacked legality to oust him and promising to show up to work on Monday.

According to Axios, Saul's deputy David Black, who was also appointed by Trump, resigned on Friday upon request.