(NewsNation) — A White House official has confirmed to NewsNation that “some” of the independent inspectors general of major federal agencies “have been asked to leave.”
NewsNation partner The Hill reported that Trump has ousted around 17 federal watchdogs within various departments including the Department of Veteran Affairs, Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department and Housing and Urban Development.
A HUD spokesperson told The Hill that Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis received notice on Friday.
The Washington Post reported late Friday night that “the White House fired the independent inspectors general of at least 14 major federal agencies in a purge that could clear the way for President Donald Trump to install loyalists in the crucial role of identifying fraud, waste and abuse in the government.”
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig criticized Trump’s move in a statement on Saturday.
“While the president has the right to replace inspector general, the late-night firing of these independent watchdogs not only violates the law but also hampers our ability to combat waste, fraud, and abuse and ensure programs are run as Congress intended, whether its disaster assistance for farmers or nutrition programs,” she said.
Craig referred to the “midnight purge of inspector generals” as “alarming and unprecedented.”
“These firings threaten to undermine public trust at a time when many hardworking Americans doubt whether government institutions are looking out for them and reinforce the perception that politicians get to play by a different set of rules,” she added.
Senator Chuck Schumer also ripped Trump on X, saying that it “is a glaring sign that it’s a Golden Age for corruption and abuse in government.”
In an earlier statement on the platform, Schumer also said it could be a violation of federal law with 30 day-notice needed to fire inspectors generals.
