Trump Tries To Fire Inspectors General, Likely Violating Federal Law
Eric Boehm
Sat, January 25, 2025
President Donald Trump reportedly tried to fire at least a dozen inspectors general on Friday night, but that action appears to violate a law that Congress recently passed to prevent such a purge.
Reports vary on how many federal inspectors general were handed pink slips. The New York Times reports that "at least 12" of the executive branch agency watchdogs were dismissed by the president on Friday night, while The Washington Post pegs the number at 15 and ABC says at least 17 were canned.
Many of those fired were Trump appointees from his first term in office, the Post noted. It remains unclear whether the administration plans to fill the positions with newly appointed loyalists or to leave the posts vacant.
The firings will likely trigger an immediate legal battle over the president's authority to send inspectors general packing. A law passed by Congress in 2008 requires the White House to provide 30 days' notice before removing or replacing an inspector general. An updated version of that law, passed in 2022, requires that a president provide Congress with "substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons" for the removal. (That change was motivated, in part, by Trump's decision in 2020 to abruptly remove an inspector general charged with oversight of pandemic-era stimulus spending.)
In a letter to the White House after the firings, Hannibal "Mike" Ware, chairman of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency wrote: "At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss" the officials.
The Trump administration did not provide notice to Congress and has not informed lawmakers about the rationale for the firing, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R–Iowa), told CNN's Manu Raju on Saturday. "There may be good reason the IGs were fired," Grassley said. "We need to know that if so. I'd like further explanation from President Trump."
"These dismissals clearly violate federal law," Sen. Dick Durbin (D–Ill.), the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, declared in a statement. Durbin called the move "a brazen attempt to rig these offices to look the other way when violations of law take place."
Some of the officials Trump tried to fire are unwilling to go without a fight. "At least one of the fired inspectors general—the State Department's Cardell Richardson Sr.—has told staff he plans to show up to work on Monday," Politico reported.
This mass dismissal comes on the heels of Trump's move earlier this week to dismiss several members from a White House board that provides oversight on privacy and civil liberties issues, including the federal government's warrantless spying programs.
So far, the second Trump administration seems less interested in draining the swamp than in pushing aside people who might sound the alarm about corruption, illegal actions, and other abuses of executive power.
Trump's firing of independent watchdog officials draws criticism
By Nandita Bose and Ismail Shakil
Sat, January 25, 2025
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's late-night firing of inspectors general at multiple government agencies was criticized as illegal on Saturday by Democrats and others and drew concern from at least one fellow Republican.
In what critics called a late-night purge, Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs on Friday, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, a move that clears the way to replace independent watchdogs with loyalists.
U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, a longtime Democratic antagonist of Trump, said the action was a clear violation of the law.
"Trump wants no accountability for malfeasance in office," Schiff said in a post on platform X. "He is refilling the swamp."
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump defended the move saying "it’s a very common thing to do." He did not say who would be installed in the vacant posts.
The inspectors general at agencies including the departments of State, Defense and Transportation were notified by emails from the White House personnel director that they had been terminated immediately, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The dismissals, handed out less than a week after Trump took office for his second term, appeared to violate federal law, the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency said in a letter to the White House on Friday.
The law requires a president to give Congress "substantive rationale, including detailed and case specific reasons" for the dismissals 30 days in advance, the council said in the letter to Sergio Gor, White House personnel director.
Gor's Friday email to the fired inspectors cited "changing priorities" as a reason for the firings, according to the letter, reported by Politico.
"At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General," said Council Chair Hannibal Ware, suggesting Gor consult with the White House counsel.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Michael Bromwich, a former Justice Department inspector general, said the firings were "plainly illegal."
An inspector general is an independent position that conducts audits and investigations into allegations of waste, fraud and abuse of power.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, a longtime supporter of inspectors general, said he wanted to know why Trump fired the watchdogs.
"There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so. I'd like further explanation from President Trump," Grassley said in a statement, adding that a detailed 30-day notice of removal was not provided to Congress.
Fellow Republican Senator John Barrasso said he believes Trump will make wise decisions on the inspectors general. "Some of them deserve to be fired," he told Fox News.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called the firings "a chilling purge" and a preview of a "lawless approach" by the Trump administration.
Agencies are pressing ahead with orders from Trump, who returned to the presidency on Jan. 20, to reshape the federal bureaucracy by scrapping diversity programs, rescinding job offers and sidelining more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials.
Friday's dismissals spared the Department of Justice inspector general, Michael Horowitz, according to the New York Times. The Washington Post, which was first to report the dismissals, said most were appointees from Trump's 2017-2021 first term.
A source familiar with the issue who spoke on condition of anonymity said among the inspectors general whom Trump has fired is John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction. He was terminated on Friday evening even though his operation is due to close in September, said the source.
Many politically appointed leaders of agencies and departments come and go with each administration, but an inspector general can serve under multiple presidents.
During his first term, Trump fired five inspectors general in a two-month period in 2020. This included the State Department inspector general, who had played a role in the president's impeachment proceedings.
Last year, Trump's predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, fired the inspector general of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, after an investigation found the official had created a hostile work environment.
In 2022, Congress strengthened protections for inspectors general, making it harder to replace them with hand-picked officials and requiring additional explanations from a president for their removal.
(Reporting by Nadita Bose in Washington, Chandni Shah in Bengaluru, Ismail Shakil in Ottawa Jonathan Landay in Washington and Nate Raymond in Boston; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by William Mallard, Matthew Lewis and Chizu Nomiyama)
Sen. Adam Schiff says Trump 'broke the law' by firing 18 inspectors general
Alexandra Marquez
Sun, January 26, 2025
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., on Sunday blasted President Donald Trump for his decision to fire 18 inspectors general late Friday night and accused the president of breaking the law.
“To write off this clear violation of law by saying, ‘Well,’ that ‘technically, he broke law.’ Yeah, he broke the law,” Schiff told NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
His comment was responding to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who earlier in the program told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that “technically, yeah,” Trump had violated the Inspector General Act, which Congress amended to strengthen protections from undue termination for inspectors general.
“I’m not, you know, losing a whole lot of sleep that he wants to change the personnel out. I just want to make sure that he gets off to a good start,” Graham added.
In a later interview on CNN, Graham defended Trump more forcefully, saying, “Yes, I think he should have done that.”
“He feels like the government hasn’t worked very well for the American people. These watchdog folks did a pretty lousy job. He wants some new eyes on Washington. And that makes sense to me,” he added.
But Schiff pushed back on that notion, warning that “if we don’t have good and independent inspector generals, we are going to see a swamp refill.”
He added, “It may be the president’s goal here ... to remove anyone that’s going to call the public attention to his malfeasance.”
Inspectors general serve in federal agencies as independent figures who audit and investigate their agencies when allegations of waste, fraud and abuse arise.
On Friday, Trump fired at least 18 inspectors general, including those in the Defense Department, State Department, Health and Human Services Department and the Department of Labor.
On Saturday, multiple lawmakers — on both sides of the aisle — pointed out that Trump’s move appeared to violate the law, which requires presidents to give Congress a 30-day notice and substantive reasoning for the firing before an inspector general is removed from their post.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told NBC News in a statement Saturday that he’d “like further explanation from President Trump” about his justification for the firings.
“There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so. I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30 day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress,” Grassley said.
And Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senate minority leader, slammed Trump’s decision in a speech on the Senate floor Saturday morning.
“Yesterday, in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration. This is a chilling purge,” Schumer said.
He added, “These dismissals are possibly in violation of federal law, which requires Congress to have 30 days notice of any intent to fire inspectors general.”
On Saturday, a White House official told NBC News that a lot of the firing decisions happen with “legal counsel looking over them.” But they added they were checking with the White House counsel’s office, though they didn’t think the administration had broken any laws.
It’s not clear how Congress can address this apparent violation of the law, but on Sunday, Schiff said, “We have the power of the purse. We have the power right now to confirm or not confirm people for Cabinet positions that control agencies or would control agencies whose inspector generals have just been fired.”
So far, all but one of Trump’s Cabinet appointments have sailed through the Senate with the full backing of the Senate GOP caucus, which holds a 53-47 majority in that chamber. Just one nominee — new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — lost three GOP votes in his final confirmation vote, though he won a majority with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance.
Even Republicans are questioning Trump’s ‘illegal’ midnight purge of inspector generals
Gustaf Kilander
On Saturday night aboard Air Force One, Trump said he “did it because it’s a very common thing to do,” adding that “not all of them” were fired (AP)
Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins noted that Trump’s firings didn’t adhere to his stated goal of fighting corruption.
“I don’t understand why one would fire individuals whose mission is to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. So this leaves a gap in what I know is a priority for President Trump,” she told reporters, according to CNN.
South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds argued that Trump should get an opportunity to explain his decision.
“I honestly would just be guessing at this point as to what it what it actually entails. So I’ll wait and find out what that means in terms of other people stepping in. Are there deputies that step in? Was it specific to individuals? I just simply don’t have that information,” said Rounds.
He added: “I just heard about it just briefly this morning. I’m sure that there’ll be a discussion of it here, but I do not know what his logic was on it, and I do not know the reasoning. We’ll give him an opportunity to explain that.”
Trump fires 17 government watchdogs in middle of the night - but a key one remains in his post
Gustaf Kilander
The removals seemed to violate federal law, which requires Congress to be notified 30 days before the firing of any inspector general confirmed by the Senate (AP)
The firings of the inspectors open up the opportunity for Trump to install loyalists in positions that are supposed to identify fraud, waste and abuse.
The inspectors general were made aware of the firings by emails from the White House personnel director, telling them that they had been terminated immediately, people familiar with the measures told The Post.
The removals seemed to violate federal law, which requires Congress to be notified 30 days before the firing of any inspector general confirmed by the Senate.
Some of the departments and agencies affected by the firings include the departments of State, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Interior, Energy, Commerce and Agriculture, in addition to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration, according to The Post.
Most of those who were removed were appointees by Trump from his first term in the White House. Horowitz was appointed by President Barack Obama.
One inspector general told the paper the Trump administration “does not want anyone in this role who is going to be independent.”
“IGs have done exactly what the president says he wants: to fight fraud waste and abuse and make the government more effective,” the official added. “Firing this many of us makes no sense. It is counter to those goals.”
Collins: ‘I don’t understand’ Trump’s inspectors general firings
Alexander Bolton
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Saturday she didn’t understand why President Trump fired several departmental inspectors general late Friday night given that those positions are crucial to rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, one of the president’s stated goals.
“I don’t understand why one would fire individuals whose mission it is to root out waste, fraud and abuse. This leaves a gap in what I know is a priority for President Trump. So I don’t understand it,” Collins said while arriving at the Capitol for a Saturday morning vote.
Trump fired 17 government watchdogs at the Departments of Defense, State, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and other agencies, catching GOP lawmakers by surprise.
“Somebody just mentioned to me downstairs as I was coming in, just heard about it,” said Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said he was aware of the move but needs to study it more carefully.
“I heard it, I have not looked at it and I don’t know what it all entails. Honestly, I would just be guessing at this point about what that actually entails. I’ll wait and find out what that means in terms of other people stepping in,” he said.
The surprise move drew strong criticism from Democrats.
“It’s part of his plan to undermine the functioning of the government of the United States so that there’s is no objective person that can make judgments about propriety of his actions,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee said of Trump’s action.
“Now he has a much freer pathway to avoid rules, regulations to essentially change the system from one of laws to one of his whims,” he added.
Reed said the Defense Department’s inspector general was responsive to lawmakers’ requests.
“I would give the IG a good grade. They’re very thorough. They have to be that way. When they rendered a report it was factual, accurate and untainted by political bias or any other bias,” he said.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said independent inspectors general are “critical” to rooting out waste, fraud and abuse throughout the government.
“It is alarming that President Trump is firing inspectors general from agencies across the federal government, including the Department of Agriculture, removing critical checks on his power,” she said in a statement.
Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, declared that Trump is “systematically dismantling the protections against abuse, corruption and fraud within federal government.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Gustaf Kilander
THE HILL
Sun 26 January 2025
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill on June 11, 2024. Grassley and other Republicans are now asking questions about President Donald Trump’s firing of inspectors general (Getty Images)
Some Republicans are concerned about President Donald Trump’s late-night firing Friday of more than a dozen inspectors general without giving the proper notification to Congress.
The new Trump administration fired about 17 inspectors general on Friday from a number of departments and agencies, including State, Defense and Transportation. The inspectors general are there to work against fraud, corruption and abuses of power.
Congressional Democrats were quick to slam the firings, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying that the action came in the “dark of night” and that it was a “chilling” indication of what the next four years would look like.
The firings could start “a golden age for abuse in government, and even corruption,” said Schumer.
On Saturday, Republicans joined in with the criticism. Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, 91, a staunch Trump ally, said in a statement obtained by CNN that Congress wasn’t notified in advance of the firings in adherence to the law.
“There may be good reason the IGs were fired,” Grassley noted Saturday. “We need to know that if so. I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.”
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said, “What I do understand is that it is relatively unprecedented in that there was no notice.”
“I can understand why a new president coming in would want to look critically at the IGs and the role that they have played within the various agencies, but … the summary dismissal of everybody, I think, has raised concerns,” she added.
Federal law states that the White House has to inform Congress 30 days in advance of the firing of an inspector general. Several of those who lost their jobs Friday night were appointed during Trump’s first term.
On Saturday night aboard Air Force One, Trump said he “did it because it’s a very common thing to do,” adding that “not all of them” were fired.
“I don’t know them, but some people thought that some were unfair or were not doing the job. It’s a very standard thing to do,” Trump claimed without providing evidence.
Sun 26 January 2025
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill on June 11, 2024. Grassley and other Republicans are now asking questions about President Donald Trump’s firing of inspectors general (Getty Images)
Some Republicans are concerned about President Donald Trump’s late-night firing Friday of more than a dozen inspectors general without giving the proper notification to Congress.
The new Trump administration fired about 17 inspectors general on Friday from a number of departments and agencies, including State, Defense and Transportation. The inspectors general are there to work against fraud, corruption and abuses of power.
Congressional Democrats were quick to slam the firings, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying that the action came in the “dark of night” and that it was a “chilling” indication of what the next four years would look like.
The firings could start “a golden age for abuse in government, and even corruption,” said Schumer.
On Saturday, Republicans joined in with the criticism. Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, 91, a staunch Trump ally, said in a statement obtained by CNN that Congress wasn’t notified in advance of the firings in adherence to the law.
“There may be good reason the IGs were fired,” Grassley noted Saturday. “We need to know that if so. I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.”
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said, “What I do understand is that it is relatively unprecedented in that there was no notice.”
“I can understand why a new president coming in would want to look critically at the IGs and the role that they have played within the various agencies, but … the summary dismissal of everybody, I think, has raised concerns,” she added.
Federal law states that the White House has to inform Congress 30 days in advance of the firing of an inspector general. Several of those who lost their jobs Friday night were appointed during Trump’s first term.
On Saturday night aboard Air Force One, Trump said he “did it because it’s a very common thing to do,” adding that “not all of them” were fired.
“I don’t know them, but some people thought that some were unfair or were not doing the job. It’s a very standard thing to do,” Trump claimed without providing evidence.
On Saturday night aboard Air Force One, Trump said he “did it because it’s a very common thing to do,” adding that “not all of them” were fired (AP)
Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins noted that Trump’s firings didn’t adhere to his stated goal of fighting corruption.
“I don’t understand why one would fire individuals whose mission is to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. So this leaves a gap in what I know is a priority for President Trump,” she told reporters, according to CNN.
South Dakota Republican Senator Mike Rounds argued that Trump should get an opportunity to explain his decision.
“I honestly would just be guessing at this point as to what it what it actually entails. So I’ll wait and find out what that means in terms of other people stepping in. Are there deputies that step in? Was it specific to individuals? I just simply don’t have that information,” said Rounds.
He added: “I just heard about it just briefly this morning. I’m sure that there’ll be a discussion of it here, but I do not know what his logic was on it, and I do not know the reasoning. We’ll give him an opportunity to explain that.”
Trump fires 17 government watchdogs in middle of the night - but a key one remains in his post
Gustaf Kilander
THE INDEPENDENT UK
Sat 25 January 2025
President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. On Friday night, he fires several government watchdogs
Sat 25 January 2025
President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. On Friday night, he fires several government watchdogs
(AFP via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump fired 17 inspectors general on Friday in a late-night purge of the internal government watchdogs that monitor federal agencies.
The measure didn’t remove Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, according to The New York Times.
One of the fired officials told The Post, “It’s a widespread massacre.”
“Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system,” the official added.
The Washington Post previously reported on the firings - which are legally questionable. Trump’s critics were quick to slam the firings, with Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren saying in a social media post, “Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse and preventing misconduct.”
“President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption,” she added.
Those working on the Trump transition had indicated that firings were likely to take place. Towards the end of his last term in office, in early 2020, Trump fired five inspectors general from their posts.
Trump was handling the coronavirus pandemic at the time even as he worked to reshape the government to remove those he viewed as trying to work against him. One of them was Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community, who handled the whistleblower complaint that prompted Trump’s first impeachment for pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to open an investigation into then-former Vice President Joe Biden.
Horowitz delivered a report to the Department of Justice in late 2019 regarding the FBI investigation into possible connections between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. He found that the FBI had a basis for starting the probe, but at the same time, he criticized the warrant application to monitor Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
He added that then-FBI Director James Comey had violated department policy by writing secret memos regarding his meetings with Trump that subsequently reached the public eye. The Department of Justice chose not to prosecute Comey, to the fury of Trump, who later fired him.
President Donald Trump fired 17 inspectors general on Friday in a late-night purge of the internal government watchdogs that monitor federal agencies.
The measure didn’t remove Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, according to The New York Times.
One of the fired officials told The Post, “It’s a widespread massacre.”
“Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system,” the official added.
The Washington Post previously reported on the firings - which are legally questionable. Trump’s critics were quick to slam the firings, with Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren saying in a social media post, “Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse and preventing misconduct.”
“President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption,” she added.
Those working on the Trump transition had indicated that firings were likely to take place. Towards the end of his last term in office, in early 2020, Trump fired five inspectors general from their posts.
Trump was handling the coronavirus pandemic at the time even as he worked to reshape the government to remove those he viewed as trying to work against him. One of them was Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community, who handled the whistleblower complaint that prompted Trump’s first impeachment for pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to open an investigation into then-former Vice President Joe Biden.
Horowitz delivered a report to the Department of Justice in late 2019 regarding the FBI investigation into possible connections between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. He found that the FBI had a basis for starting the probe, but at the same time, he criticized the warrant application to monitor Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
He added that then-FBI Director James Comey had violated department policy by writing secret memos regarding his meetings with Trump that subsequently reached the public eye. The Department of Justice chose not to prosecute Comey, to the fury of Trump, who later fired him.
The removals seemed to violate federal law, which requires Congress to be notified 30 days before the firing of any inspector general confirmed by the Senate (AP)
The firings of the inspectors open up the opportunity for Trump to install loyalists in positions that are supposed to identify fraud, waste and abuse.
The inspectors general were made aware of the firings by emails from the White House personnel director, telling them that they had been terminated immediately, people familiar with the measures told The Post.
The removals seemed to violate federal law, which requires Congress to be notified 30 days before the firing of any inspector general confirmed by the Senate.
Some of the departments and agencies affected by the firings include the departments of State, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Interior, Energy, Commerce and Agriculture, in addition to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration, according to The Post.
Most of those who were removed were appointees by Trump from his first term in the White House. Horowitz was appointed by President Barack Obama.
One inspector general told the paper the Trump administration “does not want anyone in this role who is going to be independent.”
“IGs have done exactly what the president says he wants: to fight fraud waste and abuse and make the government more effective,” the official added. “Firing this many of us makes no sense. It is counter to those goals.”
Collins: ‘I don’t understand’ Trump’s inspectors general firings
Alexander Bolton
THE HILL
Sat 25 January 2025
Sat 25 January 2025
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Saturday she didn’t understand why President Trump fired several departmental inspectors general late Friday night given that those positions are crucial to rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, one of the president’s stated goals.
“I don’t understand why one would fire individuals whose mission it is to root out waste, fraud and abuse. This leaves a gap in what I know is a priority for President Trump. So I don’t understand it,” Collins said while arriving at the Capitol for a Saturday morning vote.
Trump fired 17 government watchdogs at the Departments of Defense, State, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and other agencies, catching GOP lawmakers by surprise.
“Somebody just mentioned to me downstairs as I was coming in, just heard about it,” said Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said he was aware of the move but needs to study it more carefully.
“I heard it, I have not looked at it and I don’t know what it all entails. Honestly, I would just be guessing at this point about what that actually entails. I’ll wait and find out what that means in terms of other people stepping in,” he said.
The surprise move drew strong criticism from Democrats.
“It’s part of his plan to undermine the functioning of the government of the United States so that there’s is no objective person that can make judgments about propriety of his actions,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee said of Trump’s action.
“Now he has a much freer pathway to avoid rules, regulations to essentially change the system from one of laws to one of his whims,” he added.
Reed said the Defense Department’s inspector general was responsive to lawmakers’ requests.
“I would give the IG a good grade. They’re very thorough. They have to be that way. When they rendered a report it was factual, accurate and untainted by political bias or any other bias,” he said.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said independent inspectors general are “critical” to rooting out waste, fraud and abuse throughout the government.
“It is alarming that President Trump is firing inspectors general from agencies across the federal government, including the Department of Agriculture, removing critical checks on his power,” she said in a statement.
Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, declared that Trump is “systematically dismantling the protections against abuse, corruption and fraud within federal government.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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