The 78-year-old Democrat gave the nearly 1,000 appointees the stern warning following his inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, January 20.
During the virtual ceremony in the White House’s State Dining Room, Biden said: “I’m not joking when I say this. If you’re ever working with me – and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone – I promise you I will fire you on the spot.
“On the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts. Everybody, everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity. That’s been missing in a big way in the last four years.
“Cathy’s gone through all your backgrounds, talked to me about you. I’m confident you have the capacity to do it.”