WASHINGTON (AP) — A small but significant number of Senate Republicans are coming to the defense of President Donald Trump’s firing of 17 inspectors general, calling it a normal part of presidential transition and expressing skepticism about Democratic claims of wrongdoing.
The dismissals, announced last week, have sparked intense scrutiny and bipartisan criticism, with many lawmakers calling for an investigation into the move. But Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and John Cornyn, all Republicans, are bucking the trend, saying they don’t see anything unusual or improper about Trump’s actions.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal,” Cruz said in an interview. “Presidents have always had the authority to appoint and remove inspectors general. It’s a normal part of the transition process.”
Paul, a frequent Trump ally, agreed, saying the controversy was “overblown.” “Inspectors general are political appointments, and they serve at the pleasure of the president,” he said.
Cornyn, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also expressed skepticism about the criticism. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what the president did,” he said. “It’s up to the president to decide who serves in his administration.”
Their comments are likely to fuel a growing divide within the Republican Party over Trump’s actions. While some lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have stopped short of explicitly criticizing the firings, many others have condemned the move.
Democrats, meanwhile, are intensifying their demands for an investigation into the dismissals. Senator Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has written to the inspector general of the Intelligence Community demanding an investigation into the firings.
“It is unacceptable for the president to remove inspectors general in such a large-scale manner, without explanation or justification,” Peters said in a statement. “We need a full accounting of the reasons behind these firings and a guarantee that they will not undermine the integrity of these critical oversight offices.”