President Donald Trump has called on Microsoft to dismiss Lisa Monaco, a senior executive who formerly served as deputy attorney general under President Biden.
Trump issued his demand on Truth Social, his social media platform with ten million followers. This came shortly after former FBI Director James Comey was indicted, a move Trump had strongly advocated.
Trump accused Monaco of posing a threat to national security, highlighting Microsoft’s significant contracts with the United States government.
He stated, “She is a menace to U.S. National Security, especially given the major contracts that Microsoft has with the United States Government.”
According to Trump, due to Monaco’s alleged wrongdoing, she has been stripped of all security clearances, denied access to national security intelligence, and barred from all federal properties.
Microsoft has not responded to these claims.
The company provides cloud infrastructure and software solutions to various federal agencies. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a deal promising $3.1 billion in cost savings on cloud services for the U.S. government over one year, showing its critical role in governmental IT services.
Monaco joined Microsoft in July, and her background includes senior roles in justice and national security.
This controversy arises as Microsoft recently suspended cloud and AI services to a unit of the Israeli military after investigations suggested the unit developed technology to monitor Palestinians’ phone calls, reflecting the company’s caution over ethical issues in conflict zones.
Trump is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the coming days, indicating ongoing political involvement in Middle East affairs. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella attended a White House dinner earlier this month alongside other technology leaders.