COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Monday, President Trump announced he would make changes to the Army Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force Academy's Board of Visitors. In a Truth Social post, he called his plans an effort to address "Woke Leftist Ideologues" in the nation's service academies.
5th Congressional District Representative Jeff Crank (R) was appointed to the board by House Speaker Mike Johnson.
"We want to fight some of this woke ideology that we've seen creeping into the military," Rep. Crank said.
Rep. Crank said the board functions as an advisory committee to the Air Force academy.
"The CU Board of Regents has a board that oversees the direction of the CU system," he added. "The board of visitors of the Air Force Academy kind of oversee that direction for the Air Force Academy."
According to the board's website, the sitting president can appoint six members of his choosing. Rep. Crank, and Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper (D) would not see their positions change.
According to Crank, there is a precedent here. He said the previous administration did away with president Trump's appointees once he left office in 2021.
"Joe Biden decided that he didn't want the people that were appointed by Trump to serve there," said Rep. Crank.
According to Ryan Strickler, a Political Science Associate Professor at CSU Pueblo.
This kind of administrative overhaul is a tactic that's becoming more common with increased polarization.
"What one president or one board of visitors can put in place, another president with another Board of Visitors could take away," said Strickler. "You can affect a lot of change through the executive branch, right? Republican administrations going back to, going back to Ronald Reagan would appoint conservative individuals to head the EPA."
___
Union workers at King Soopers stores in Pueblo are set to go on strike on Friday
The announcement came from Local 7 President Kim Kordova on Thursday during a news conference, according to Scripps News Denver.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
