Trump calls for Microsoft to fire Lisa Monaco, labeling ex-Biden DOJ official a 'menace' to national security

Former President Donald Trump on Friday demanded that Microsoft fire Lisa Monaco, the ex-Biden-era deputy attorney general who now serves as the tech company's president of global affairs, accusing her of being "a menace to U.S. National Security" and saying she has access to "Highly Sensitive Information." In a Truth Social post, Trump urged Microsoft to "immediately terminate the employment of Lisa Monaco," arguing her role overseeing the company's global policy creates risks given its contracts with the U.S. government. He also repeated a claim that Monaco had her federal security clearances revoked earlier this year and was barred from government facilities over unspecified "wrongful acts."\n\nMonaco, 57, served as deputy attorney general under President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025, overseeing prosecutions and national security matters as the Justice Department’s second-in-command. She is said to have played a prominent role in high-profile and politically sensitive cases the department pursued during the Biden era, including prosecutions relating to the former president and cases involving Jan. 6 defendants. She also served in the Obama administration as White House homeland security and counterterrorism adviser from 2013 to 2017, coordinating the government’s response to terrorism and cyber threats. Before that, Monaco led the Justice Department’s National Security Division as assistant attorney general from 2011 to 2013, after stints as principal associate deputy attorney general and as chief of staff to FBI Director Robert Mueller. The Biden Justice Department pursued a range of criminal and civil cases linked to Trump, including indictments led by Special Counsel Jack Smith over election interference and classified documents.\n\nTrump’s post comes as Microsoft faces scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers. The company is at the center of an extensive Federal Trade Commission antitrust investigation that began during the Biden era and has intensified under FTC Chair Lina Khan and the agency’s enforcement agenda. The probe focuses on Microsoft’s practice of bundling Office productivity software with cloud and cybersecurity services for government customers, a strategy some observers say could entrench incumbency and influence federal procurement. Microsoft has denied wrongdoing. Monaco, the former Biden-era deputy attorney general, now serves as the tech giant’s president of global affairs.\n\nThe political and regulatory context surrounding Monaco’s private-sector role underscores ongoing tensions over how close government dealings and national security concerns intersect with large technology platforms. The White House and Microsoft have not publicly commented on Trump’s demand, and Reuters and other outlets have noted that the Biden administration’s Justice Department pursued multiple prosecutions against Trump, including those led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. In a separate development on Thursday, the Department of Justice charged former FBI Director James Comey with perjury and obstruction of justice in connection with testimony about leaks related to investigations into alleged 2015-16 links between the Trump campaign and Russia. Comey has denied the charges. The public response to Trump’s call for Monaco’s ouster highlights the political sensitivity around tech-sector influence, national security, and the integrity of federal investigations. The Post and other outlets have sought comment from Microsoft and the White House.\n\n