Defeat-ISIS Task Force Director Who Resigned Under Trump Will Be Brought Back Under Biden

President-elect Joe Biden is bringing back the ISIS-task force director who resigned during the Trump Administration, Politico reported Monday.

Christopher Maier will become the acting civilian overseeing special operations forces at the Department of Defense after the inauguration, Politico reported. Maier previously served as the Defeat-ISIS Task Force director for around eight months before resigning from the position on Nov. 30.

Maier’s position was confirmed by three unnamed officials who were reportedly not authorized to speak on the matter, according to Politico.

Also confirming my scoops on:
-PDASD for Special Operations / Low Intensity Conflict Christopher Maier
-Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for China Ely Ratner

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) January 19, 2021

Maier’s office was dissolved by the Department of Defense (DOD) after it was decided that U.S. efforts to defeat ISIS had been successful, Politico reported. Some officials said that Maier was ousted by new leadership after President Donald Trump fired and replaced Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

“Chris is a nonpartisan professional and carries years of institutional knowledge on an exceedingly complex set of issues,” Trump’s Former Special Envoy to the Coalition to Defeat ISIS Brett H. McGurk said, The New York Times reported. “It really makes no sense to force out someone like that 50 days before a transition to a new administration.”

Three officials who were briefed on the matter said that Maier was fired and his office dissolved because the U.S. had succeeded in its efforts to take down ISIS, the Times reported. Supporters of Maier say he was forced out of the important position, though the DOD attributed his resignation to the group’s success.

Maier will become the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict before he is nominated to the top leadership role, Politico reported.

The DOD did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.