President Donald Trump fired multiple inspectors general late on Friday, removing the independent watchdogs tasked with investigating abuse and impropriety in federal agencies in a move that potentially violates federal law.
A senior White House official confirmed the firings to NBC News, saying, “We’re cleaning house of what doesn’t work for us and going forward.”
The exact number of inspectors general who were dismissed is unclear. NBC News reported that at least 12 were fired. The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the actions, reported the number as at least 14 across several agencies, including at the departments of Defense, State, Transportation, Veterans Affairs and the Interior.
The abrupt firings open the door for Trump to install loyalists in their place. The move also appears to violate federal law: Presidents are required to give Congress a 30-day notice for such dismissals, with reasons for termination. Hannibal “Mike” Ware, the chairman of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, sent a letter to the White House on Friday night stating that “we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General,” NBC News confirmed.
The senior White House official told NBC News that such decisions are made with “legal counsel looking over them” and that they don’t think the Trump administration has broken any laws.
The Trump administration has acted quickly and zealously in its first week to revamp the federal government. The White House has cut diversity, equity and inclusion programs and employees; implemented a civilian hiring freeze across agencies; paused health research; and rolled back remote work policies for federal employees. Several Democrats criticized the late-night Friday dismissals. “Trump’s Friday night coup to overthrow legally protected independent inspectors general is an attack on transparency and accountability,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, in a statement. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called it “a purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night” aimed at “dismantling checks on [Trump’s] power and paving the way for widespread corruption.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also said on the Senate floor Saturday that the firings “are possibly in violation of federal law.” “These firings are Donald Trump’s way of telling us he is terrified of accountability and is hostile to facts and to transparency,” Schumer added.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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