Trump Fires Senior Advisors and Faces Biden's Pardon Echoes
January 21, 2025, 9:40 am

Trump Fires Senior Advisors and Faces Biden's Pardon Echoes

ترامب \ تعبيرية

Former President Donald Trump announced that he has fired four staff members, including retired General Mark Milley, from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council. He also mentioned that these individuals include José Andrés from the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Research, and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the Presidential Export Council. Trump explained that this decision resulted from these individuals' lack of alignment with his vision of "making America great again."

Trump concluded his announcement with his famous phrase, "You're fired!" which has become a symbol of his style on the reality show "The Apprentice."

These statements coincide with the recent decision by current President Joe Biden, who issued a pardon last Monday for Dr. Anthony Fauci and retired General Mark Milley, as well as members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack on the Capitol. This move has been considered an unconventional use of presidential powers in the final moments, as Biden seeks to protect these individuals from potential "retaliation" that may come from a forthcoming Trump administration.

Biden's decision came amid Trump's previous warnings about preparing a list of those who opposed him politically or who sought to hold him accountable for his actions during the 2020 election crisis and his role in the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021.

For his part, Trump emphasized that the pardons do not necessarily mean an admission of anyone's wrongdoing or misconduct, urging not to misunderstand these decisions.

It is noteworthy that Fauci, who served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years, was part of Trump's presidency and later became Biden's senior medical advisor until his retirement in 2022, having played a prominent role in coordinating the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, his opposition to some of Trump’s health concepts brought him significant criticism, particularly from the Republican Party, which accused him of failing public health policies such as mask mandates, despite many fatalities.

As for Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he described Trump as fascist and spoke in detail about the president's behavior during the January 6 riots, increasing the anger towards him among Trump supporters.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.