White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer issued a stern warning on Monday to State Department officials who have criticized President Trump’s decision to temporarily halt immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
“I think that they should either get with the program or they can go,” Spicer told reporters at the daily briefing. “This is about the safety of America and there’s a reason a majority of Americans agree with the president.”
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Monday that more than 100 agency officials are internally protesting the president’s order on immigration and the Syrian refugee program due to concerns that it will increase threats to U.S. national security rather than advance anti-terror efforts.
Those opposing the order are expected to submit a formal complaint through the department’s “dissent channel” this week.
“The president has a very clear vision,” Spicer said Monday. “If somebody has a problem with that agenda, then that does call into question whether they should remain in that post or not.”
In addition to facing criticism from agency bureaucrats, the Trump administration has been dealing with the blowback from Democrat and Republican lawmakers alike over its decision to block immigration from Syria, Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and Somalia.
