The C.I.A. dismissed its leading medical officer after she was targeted by far-right activists aiming to remove officials they deem disloyal, according to a lawsuit filed on Friday evening.
Last year, the C.I.A. brought in Dr. Terry Adirim to head its Center for Global Health Services. Shortly after, Ivan Raiklin, a far-right provocateur, labeled her the “architect” behind the Pentagon’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate.
At 61, Dr. Adirim previously held a senior medical position at the Defense Department in 2021 when Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III instituted the Covid vaccination requirement for all service members.
Mr. Raiklin, who identifies as President Trump’s “secretary of retribution,” is a former Green Beret and outspoken critic of the Covid vaccine. He created a “Deep State Target List” naming 350 individuals he accused of treason. The lawsuit states that Mr. Raiklin specifically singled out Dr. Adirim for disparagement.
On Roseanne Barr’s podcast, Mr. Raiklin accused Dr. Adirim of “genocide and mass mutilation” for her vaccine support.
In a now-deleted social media post aimed at John Ratcliffe, selected by Mr. Trump to lead the agency, Mr. Raiklin insinuated that Dr. Adirim was “burrowing in” at the C.I.A., a phrase referring to political appointees occupying civil service roles.
Mr. Raiklin closely associates with Michael T. Flynn, Mr. Trump’s first national security adviser, and is a board member of Mr. Flynn’s organization, America’s Future.
Dr. Adirim was informed on April 4 that she would be let go. After asking for reasons twice, her supervisor replied, “I have no information.” Breitbart News reported her dismissal on April 8 via social media, which Mr. Raiklin then shared.
The lawsuit claims Dr. Adirim’s firing came just two days after Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist, visited the White House to demand the ousting of multiple national security officials. Ms. Loomer later took credit for the termination of Gen. Timothy Haugh, the director of the National Security Agency.
In the lawsuit, Kevin Carroll, Dr. Adirim’s attorney, stated he will aim to demonstrate through discovery that Mr. Raiklin prompted Ms. Loomer to request Dr. Adirim’s termination.
Although the suit lacks direct evidence of Mr. Raiklin communicating with Ms. Loomer, it notes he expressed support for her after their meeting in the Oval Office. “For the record, I respect Laura Loomer,” he stated.
Mr. Raiklin and Ms. Loomer did not reply to requests for comments on Friday afternoon.
Dr. Adirim’s firing is expected to be finalized on Saturday, one month shy of her eligibility for full federal retirement benefits, as detailed in the lawsuit.
“The plaintiff and her family faced immense injustice merely because her dedicated service to our nation made her a target for a political extremist who defamed her and called for her employment termination and even her death,” Mr. Carroll contended in his complaint.
The lawsuit asserts that during her time at the Pentagon, Dr. Adirim recommended to Mr. Austin that Covid-19 vaccinations be mandated for service members, connecting it to the legacy of George Washington, who ordered vaccinations for smallpox for the Continental Army in 1777.
“The plaintiff’s valuable counsel safeguarded the lives of American service members,” Mr. Carroll stated in the complaint. “While several troops tragically perished from Covid-19 in the pandemic’s early days in 2020-21, none died after Secretary Austin implemented her advice to vaccinate our armed forces.”
On Dec. 11, Dr. Adirim signed a renewable five-year contract with the C.I.A.
When the agency notified her on April 4 of her dismissal, they also mentioned a clause in her contract permitting termination with 30 days’ notice for “any reason.”
A spokesperson for the C.I.A. declined to comment.
Seamus Hughes contributed research.