ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — A U.S. federal judge has cleared the path for the CIA to dismiss Dr. Terry Adirim, a senior medical official known for helping implement the U.S. military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate under President Biden’s administration.
Dr. Adirim, who had served as the Director of the CIA’s Center for Global Health Services, filed a legal request to temporarily stop the agency from firing her. However, U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff rejected her plea on Friday, saying the evidence did not support blocking her removal.
Dr. Adirim’s Legal Claims Against the CIA
Dr. Adirim claimed her firing was influenced by political pressure and online attacks by supporters of former President Donald Trump, especially after pro-Trump activist Ivan Raiklin and others posted criticisms of her on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
In her lawsuit, Adirim alleged that Raiklin asked right-wing activist Laura Loomer to convince Trump to call for her firing, and that Loomer raised this during an Oval Office meeting in April. Raiklin, however, denied ever making that request and said he had no communication with Loomer before Adirim’s firing.
Adirim’s legal team also pointed to a social media post by Donald Trump Jr., which celebrated her removal, as indirect support from the CIA for the claims made against her. But the CIA strongly denied any connection between online criticism and the agency’s internal decision.
CIA’s Reason for Firing
The CIA stated that the decision to fire Adirim was based on multiple complaints from different CIA officers about her conduct. These complaints reportedly raised concerns within CIA leadership, according to a court filing from the Justice Department.
The agency insisted that the firing had no link to external political influence or the timing of Loomer’s White House visit.
Judge’s Ruling and Comments
Judge Nachmanoff, who was appointed by President Biden, said that while the situation was complex, the evidence presented — including Trump Jr.’s post — did not prove defamation or illegal CIA action. He emphasized that the court’s decision to deny the restraining order does not reflect a final judgment on the actual lawsuit, which will continue to be reviewed.
Dr. Adirim’s Role in COVID Vaccine Policy
Critics of Adirim, including Raiklin, pointed to her 2021 memo issued while she served as Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, which instructed military healthcare providers to carry out the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate using the Pfizer/Comirnaty vaccines.
Raiklin also referred to a recent Pentagon memo that described the 2021 military vaccine mandate as “unlawful as implemented”, further fueling criticism of Adirim’s past actions.
He dismissed claims that he knew of Adirim’s role at the CIA through insider information. Instead, he said her LinkedIn post from last year, where she said she was “starting a new position as Senior Executive at US Federal Government,” clearly hinted at a CIA appointment — a common phrase used by officials joining the intelligence community.
The CIA declined to comment on the court’s decision or the details of Adirim’s employment.