President Joe Biden is off to a stern start as he informed new government employees that he will fire them on the spot if they are disrespecting colleagues and/or co-workers.
The freshly inaugurated president has made an effort on his first day to instill respect among staff and keep the White House free from hostility, something that the previous president was often criticized for doing the opposite.
Biden’s comments to his staff were made during a swearing-in ceremony that was held virtually. There was several hundred new government employees being sworn in and they received the message loud and clear.
Biden said to the new recruits, “I’m not joking when I say this: If you’re ever working with me and I hear you treat another with disrespect, talking down to someone, I will fire you on the spot… On the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts.”
He continued, saying “you’re engaged in and you’re working with the most decent government in the world. And we have to restore the soul of this country, and I’m counting on all of you to be part of that… The only thing I expect with absolute certitude is honesty and decency.”
President Joe Biden also stated in his speech to the new staffers that he will make mistakes and he will call on his staff to be part of the solution and help him fix the mistakes.
He also reminded his new recruits that he works for the American people, not the other way around, and they will strive to be and look like the decent government they should be.