The White House has been pushing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to quit for weeks, finally telling him he had until the end of the year to leave or be fired, according to a Saturday Washington Post report.

Zinke’s counter-request? To host his Christmas party, graced by lobbyists and conservative bigwigs, before being booted.

Per the Post, he donned a Santa hat and posed with a stuffed polar bear at the event.

The White House was reportedly concerned about the maelstrom of investigations a Democratic-majority House would bring for Zinke and wanted him out before the new term.