Reminiscent of his past life as a reality TV host, US President Donald Trump has abruptly removed the independent inspectors general of at least 12 major federal agencies. Emails sent by Sergio Gor, the White House director of presidential personnel, informed the watchdogs that “due to changing priorities,” their positions were “terminated, effective immediately.”
The move appeared to sidestep federal law requiring 30 days’ prior notice to Congress, along with detailed justifications, before a president may remove Senate-confirmed inspectors general.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida on Saturday, Trump insisted the firings were “very standard” and said certain inspectors general were “unfair” or “not doing their job.” He also claimed he did not personally know most of the officials he removed, even though many of them had been appointed during his first term.
“They’re not my people,” he said. “I don’t know anybody that would do that. But we’ll put people in there that will be very good.”
Among those dismissed were Senate-confirmed watchdogs at multiple federal departments, including Defense, State, Transportation, Labor, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Interior. Other agencies affected include Energy, Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration.
Only the inspectors general at Homeland Security and the Justice Department—where Michael Horowitz continues to serve—were spared.
Horowitz, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, is known for probing politically sensitive matters. While Trump praised Horowitz’s past investigations into the FBI’s handling of the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign, it remains unclear why the administration left the Justice Department IG untouched.
Democrats condemned the dismissals as an attack on government transparency. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a “chilling purge,” arguing the firings signal “hostility toward facts and transparency.”
Sources say the House Oversight Committee is examining possible actions to block or reverse the terminations, with committee staff citing potential legal avenues to ensure compliance with the 30-day notice requirement.
Inspectors General Are Not Leaving
Several IGs have indicated they will continue reporting to work despite the directive, citing the law’s requirement for 30 days’ notice and a valid cause.
“We do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General,” wrote Hannibal Ware, chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, in a letter to Gor on Friday evening.
The Inspector General Act mandates that the White House provide Congress 30 days’ notice and a “detailed and case-specific” rationale before removing any Senate-confirmed inspector general.
“There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so,” Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said in a statement. “Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.”
At a press briefing on Monday, the Press Secretary’s Office reiterated the president’s authority to replace appointees but offered no specifics on the 30-day notice requirement. Meanwhile, an internal memo confirmed that CIGIE is convening an urgent session later today to unify its response.
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