WASHINGTON, 26 September 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his critique of Microsoft by demanding the company immediately terminate Lisa Monaco, its newly appointed president of global affairs. He framed the dismissal as a national security necessity, arguing that her past government roles and new position at Microsoft put sensitive information at risk.
In his public post on Truth Social, Trump accused Monaco — who previously served as U.S. Deputy Attorney General under President Joe Biden and in Obama-era security posts — of being “a menace to U.S. national security.” He claimed that Microsoft’s significant government contracts magnify the risk, and called her continued employment “unacceptable.”
Trump also referenced the revocation of her security clearances earlier this year, and asserted that she has been barred from federal properties due to “many wrongful acts.”
Monaco, who joined Microsoft in July 2025 to lead its engagement with governments globally, has not publicly responded to the demand. Microsoft has likewise not issued an immediate comment.
Background & Strategic Stakes
Monaco’s appointment at Microsoft was part of the company’s broader push to strengthen policy leadership and government relations. However, her previous service in the Justice Department and national security circles has made her a lightning rod for political criticism, especially from Trump and his allies.
Trump’s call to dismiss her reflects deeper tensions between tech firms and political leadership, especially as companies such as Microsoft play increasingly central roles in national infrastructure, cloud services, cybersecurity, and AI. Microsoft holds substantial U.S. government contracts, putting its global affairs division squarely in the spotlight of national security considerations.
This confrontation also arrives amid Microsoft’s delicate balancing act: cultivating favorable ties across Washington’s shifting political landscape while preserving independent leadership. In recent months, the company has sought to navigate regulatory scrutiny and competition pressures, including an ongoing antitrust inquiry by the U.S. FTC.
Investor & Market Angles
- Reputational and governance risk: A public demand from a former president to remove a top executive places Microsoft in a challenging position. How it responds may influence perceptions of its independence and willingness to resist political pressure.
- Policy and contract stability: Given Microsoft’s reliance on government contracts, any concerns about access, oversight, or security could ripple into contract negotiation, compliance scrutiny, or regulatory risk.
- Precedent for corporate autonomy: The episode may become a test case for the extent to which private firms, especially in tech and national security domains, can retain leadership decisions in the face of high-stakes political pressure.
