Trump uses mass firing to remove independent inspectors general at a series of agencies

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has fired about 17 independent inspectors general at government agencies, a sweeping action to remove oversight of his new administration that some members of Congress are suggesting violated federal oversight laws.

The dismissals began Friday night and were effective immediately, according to two people familiar with the actions. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public. Neither confirmed the exact number of firings, but an email sent by one of the fired inspectors general said ''roughly 17'' inspectors general had been removed.

Trump confirmed the move in a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, claiming, ''it's a very common thing to do.'' He said he would "put good people in there that will be very good.''

Congress was not given the legally required 30-day notices about the removals — something that even a top Republican is decrying.

''There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so,'' Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. ''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,'' said Grassley, R-Iowa.

The role of the modern-day inspector general dates to post-Watergate Washington, when Congress installed offices inside agencies as an independent check against mismanagement and abuse of power. Though inspectors general are presidential appointees, some serve presidents of both parties. All are expected to be nonpartisan.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., acknowledged that the firings violated statutes but shrugged it off: ''Just tell them you need to follow the law next time,'' he said.

Democrats and watchdog groups, however, used the dismissals to raise alarm that Trump was making it easier to take advantage of the government.

''Inspectors General are the cops on the beat preventing bad things from happening,'' Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, said in a statement. ''Their work saves the taxpayer tens of billions of dollars every year.''

The White House did not comment on Saturday. President Donald Trump was in Las Vegas for a speech focused on his campaign promise to end federal taxation on tips.

But the moves were consistent with the president's first week back in the White House, which has featured a series of steps to remake the federal government. Trump has done everything from using executive orders to impose hiring freezes and crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, to suggesting that he wants to shutter the Federal Emergency Management Agency and leave disaster recovery up to individual states affected by major emergencies.

''Yesterday, in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration,'' Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Saturday on the chamber's floor. ''This is a chilling purge and it's a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration are taking far too often as he's becoming president.''

Schumer said the dismissals are ''possibly in violation of federal law'' and help demonstrate that the move ''is a glaring sign that it's a golden age for abuse in government and even corruption.''

The Washington Post, which first reported the firings, said that many were appointees from Trump's first term. Among those inspectors general reportedly removed included those for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense and Education.

In a lengthy statement Saturday, Hannibal Ware, the chairman of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, an independent entity that represents the interests of government watchdogs, noted that inspectors general conduct their ''oversight in a strictly non-partisan manner. They are appointed, by law, without regard to their political affiliation and, during their tenures, they work effectively across Administrations and with Congress, without regard to political party.''

He suggested that the firings violated the legal requirements that presidents notify Congress 30 days before firing an inspector general and provide a detailed rationale for the decision."

''IGs are not immune from removal. However, the law must be followed to protect independent government oversight for America,'' the statement said.

Spared in this round of dismissals, however, was Michael Horowitz, the longtime Justice Department inspector general who has issued reports on assorted politically explosive criminal investigations over the past decade.

In December 2019, for instance, Horowitz released a report faulting the FBI for surveillance warrant applications in the investigation into ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. But the report also found that the investigation had been opened for a legitimate purpose and did not find evidence that partisan bias had guided investigative decisions.

''Michael Horowitz we're keeping,'' Trump said Saturday, calling his 2019 findings "such an accurate, well done report.''

Horowitz's status aside, the move against the watchdogs drew criticism from congressional Democrats.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., noted that inspectors general are ''critical to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the federal government." The mass firings were "alarming,'' she said.

Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, a Democrat who is the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, called it a ''coup to overthrow legally protected independent inspectors general.''

He also suggested that the move — coming on just the fourth full day of Trump's second term — could potentially free up a series of positions that can subsequently be filled with loyalists who are strongly sympathetic to the Trump administration.

''Replacing independent inspectors general with political hacks will harm every American who relies on social security, veterans benefits, and a fair hearing at IRS on refunds and audits,'' Connolly said.

Still, Trump has aggressively challenged the authority of independent agency watchdog groups in the past.

In 2020, he replaced multiple key inspectors general, including those leading the Defense Department and intelligence community, as well as the inspector general tapped to chair a special oversight board for the $2.2 trillion economic relief package on the coronavirus.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called Trump's actions ''a purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night.''

''Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse, and preventing misconduct,'' Warren posted on X. ''President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption.''

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Weissert reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.