Trump’s firing of independent watchdog officials draws criticism

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump’s late-night firing of inspectors-general at multiple government agencies was criticised as illegal on Jan 25 by Democrats and others and drew concern from at least one fellow Republican.

In what critics called a late-night purge, Mr Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs on Jan 24, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, a move that clears the way to replace independent watchdogs with loyalists.

Senator Adam Schiff, a long-time Democratic antagonist of Mr Trump, said the action was a clear violation of the law.

“Trump wants no accountability for malfeasance in office,” Mr Schiff said in a post on platform X. “He is refilling the swamp.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr 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, defence and transportation were notified by e-mails from the White House personnel director that their services had been terminated immediately, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The dismissals, handed out less than a week after Mr 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 Jan 24.

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 White House personnel director Sergio Gor.

Mr Gor’s Jan 24 e-mail 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 that Mr Gor consult the White House counsel.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr 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 long-time supporter of inspectors-general, said he wanted to know why Mr Trump fired the watchdogs.

“There may be good reason the inspectors-general were fired. We need to know that if so. I’d like further explanation from President Trump,” Mr 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 Mr 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 Mr Trump, who returned to the presidency on Jan 20, to reshape the federal bureaucracy by scrapping diversity programmes, rescinding job offers and sidelining more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials.

Jan 24’s dismissals spared 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 Mr Trump’s 2017-2021 first term.

A source familiar with the issue who spoke on condition of anonymity said among the inspectors-general who Mr Trump has fired is Mr John Sopko, the special inspector-general for Afghanistan reconstruction. His services were terminated on the evening of Jan 24, 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, Mr 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.

In 2024, Mr Trump’s predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, fired the inspector-general of the US 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 handpicked officials and requiring additional explanations from a president for their removal. REUTERS