Liberty University shake-ups continue as Falwell Jr.’s son leaves post as VP

Trey Falwell was a vice president of university operations at the evangelical Christian school.

Liberty University's Sparky the Eagle is seen before an NCAA football game on Nov. 14, 2020, at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia. (AP Photo/Shaban Athuman)

(RNS) — The son of former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. has left the school, vacating his post as vice president of university operations roughly eight months after his father resigned in the wake of scandal.


RELATED: Jerry Falwell Jr. resigns from Liberty University. Again.


A spokesman for Liberty confirmed the news, first reported Wednesday afternoon (April 14) by Politico, that Trey Falwell was no longer employed by the school.


The departure comes months after Falwell Jr. resigned as president of the school in the wake of controversial posts on social media and allegations he and his wife, Becki Falwell, had a yearslong sexual relationship with a business associate — allegations the former president has disputed.

Jerry Falwell Jr., right, answers a student’s question, along with his wife, Becki, during a town hall on the opioid crisis at a convocation at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Nov. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Jerry Falwell Jr., right, answers a student’s question, along with his wife, Becki, during a town hall at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Nov. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Falwell Jr. recently has reappeared on social media, as well as on Liberty’s campus.

The elder Falwell posted on Instagram last week that he had gotten the first shot of Moderna’s vaccine for COVID-19 (while taking a shot of a different kind at Virginia’s governor). He also posted photos from a Liberty lacrosse game and shared the reason he has “been so ‘absent’ from LU” is because he has been suffering from clots in his lungs.

“I didn’t even have the strength to go on TV to refute lies in the press,” Falwell Jr. posted.


RELATED: Why Jerry Falwell Jr.’s social media ‘yacht’ posts were problematic for Liberty University


The news is but the latest in a series of shake-ups involving prominent Liberty officials.

Less than a week ago, Liberty announced that Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and Falwell Jr.’s brother, will replace David Nasser as the university’s campus pastor at the end of the current school semester. 

In addition, Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who co-founded Liberty’s politically minded think tank known as the Falkirk Center with Falwell Jr., also quietly ended his affiliation with the school in March. With both Falwell Jr. and Kirk out, the center changed its name to the Standing for Freedom Center. 



RELATED: Charlie Kirk out at Liberty University’s Falkirk Center


Other members of the Falwell family are also employed by the school, but Liberty declined to comment on their employment status to Politico, saying officials “do not answer questions about personnel.”

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