The group answerable for nationwide planning for the United States’ 250th birthday celebrations has fired its Trump administration-appointed executive director for “breaches of authority and trust,” a spokesperson mentioned Tuesday.
The nonpartisan US Semiquincentennial Commission mentioned in a press release that Ari Abergel, who was put in place by the White House this spring, “initiated a security breach of a Commission social media account” and “engaged in unauthorized actions related to Commission approved programming, finances, and communications.”
The congressionally created fee, at the moment chaired by Rosie Rios, the US Treasurer beneath former President Barack Obama, mentioned it’s going to appoint a brand new executive director in session with the White House. The Wall Street Journal was first to report the firing.
President Donald Trump earlier this yr put in allies on the non-partisan physique, often known as America250, together with Abergel and his former marketing campaign supervisor Chris LaCivita as an adviser.
Abergel disputed the fee’s characterization of his firing on Tuesday. In a press release to NCS, he insisted he was fired for posting “God bless Charlie Kirk” on an account he oversaw and had “full access” to, referring to a September 11 post to America250’s Instagram account that includes a picture of the conservative activist, who was killed at a talking occasion at a Utah college the day earlier than.
“Now, Rosie Rios is using ridiculous language like ‘Security Breach’ to try and justify an unjust firing. The fact is that I was fired for a post that Rosie didn’t like,” he mentioned.
Abergel, a former Melania Trump aide and Fox News producer, arrived at America250 within the spring and helped produce the Army’s navy parade in June and the kick-off celebration for the 250th birthday in Iowa in July. Both occasions acquired criticism from congressional Democrats on the fee, who argued the occasions had been partisan and didn’t obtain official votes from the fee.
His firing arrives amid considerations from state and native planners that there’s a lack of assets for states to placed on their very own occasions. Some have expressed fears that the general tenor of the celebrations will flip partisan versus unifying and end in a missed alternative for significant reflection on the nation’s previous.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has charged forward with 250th planning of its personal, touting plans for a UFC battle in entrance of the White House.
Other administration plans for the 250th embrace the Great American State Fair initiative, which asks states to compete to have their honest chosen by Trump because the “most patriotic” in 2026. The administration has additionally partnered with conservative media firm PragerU on an exhibit concerning the nation’s Founding Fathers, which options AI-created movies of historic figures.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly mentioned in a press release Tuesday the administration “is incredibly proud of all of Ari Abergel’s work at America250 – most notably during the Army250 parade, which boldly honored the bravery and strength of our military men and women.”
“Through the White House Task Force established by President Trump’s January Executive Order, we will continue to coordinate closely with America250 to ensure that all events heading into our nation’s 250th birthday are given the grand celebration our country deserves,” Kelly mentioned.