‘If Biden wants to politicize health, he’ll have to fire me’: President demands Trump-era appointees Dr. Oz and Herschel Walker to resign or be fired from the federal advisory committee, but doctor says he won’t resign
- Oz, 61, was a former host of a popular syndicated medical talk show and is running for the Pennsylvania Senate.
- Walker, 60, has won two Pro Bowls in the NFL and now runs in Georgia.
- The White House letter does not state why they are being asked to resign.
- Dr. Oz responded on Twitter, stating that he was twice appointed to the council by President Trump and has no plans to retire.
- “It is sad that he is politicizing such an important issue as health,” he said. “The doctor he should be asking to resign is Dr. Fauci for a variety of obvious reasons.”
- Walker, who has served as chairman of the board since 2020, has yet to respond to the letter, meaning both were effectively fired as of Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday, the White House wrote a letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker, who are running for the Republican Senate this year, on behalf of President Joe Biden, demanding they resign from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. be fired.
Oz, 61, was a former host of a popular syndicated medical talk show and is running for the Pennsylvania Senate; Walker, 60, is a two-time NFL Pro Bowl winner and now works in Georgia.
The White House letter does not provide a reason why they are being asked to resign. It reads: “On behalf of President Biden, I am writing to ask you to resign as a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Please submit your resignation letter to me before closing hours today. If we do not receive your resignation, your position on the Council will end at 6:00 pm today. Thanks.’
Dr. Oz responded on Twitter, stating that he was twice appointed to the council by President Trump and has no plans to retire.
“It is sad that he is politicizing such an important issue as health,” he tweeted. “The doctor he should ask to resign is Dr. Fauci for a variety of obvious reasons.”
President Joe Biden wrote a letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker, who are running for the Republican Senate this year, demanding that they resign from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition or be fired.
Oz, 61, was a former host of a popular syndicated medical talk show and is running for the Pennsylvania Senate.
Walker, who has served as chairman of the board since 2020, has yet to respond to the letter, meaning both were effectively fired as of Wednesday evening.
According to the Department of Health, the council’s mission is to “increase participation in sports by youth of all backgrounds and abilities and promote healthy and active lifestyles for all Americans.”
Current appointees include several former great athletes who have been publicly associated with former President Donald Trump: New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera; longtime New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick; and Trump communications strategist Dan Scavino.
Most of the council was appointed to two-year terms under Trump in late 2020 and early 2021.
Oz, a celebrated heart surgeon best known for hosting the daytime TV show The Dr. Oz Show, is trying to beat Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania for the Republican nomination.
Walker, 60, has won two Pro Bowls in the NFL and now runs in Georgia.
Over the years, Oz has hosted Michelle Obama and President Trump as guests on his longtime talk show.
Trump has not backed yet, though it’s doubtful whether Oz will have an inside trail as McCormick is married to Trump’s former national security adviser Deanna Powell and has already received support from key Trump allies Kellyanne Conway, Steven Miller, Hope Hicks, Mike Pompeo. and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Trump’s closest allies to Oz come from Rudy Giuliani and Sean Hannity.
Walker, on the other hand, has a long history with Trump that goes back to when the ex-president was the owner of New Jersey General in the NFL’s ill-fated rivals the US Football League from 1983 to 1985.
After an NFL career with brief hiatuses in Olympic bobsleigh and mixed martial arts, Walker became a powerhouse in Georgia politics, serving as honorary co-chair of Senator Kelly Loeffler’s failed re-election campaign.
Trump urged Walker to run and fully supported his campaign in the Republican primaries.