President Donald Trump’s Top Advisers Discussed Ousting Inspectors General, Sources Claim
President Donald Trump’s transition team discussed ousting independent watchdogs, known as inspectors general, at multiple federal agencies, sources familiar with the conversations told ABC News. It is unclear whether or not Trump will take action, and a decision has not been made about which inspectors general may be removed.
Inspectors general are responsible for investigating waste, fraud, and abuse across various departments and agencies, and are appointed without regard to political party. They can be fired by the president, but only after a 30-day notice period and providing a reason for the removal to both houses of Congress.
Faith Williams, director of the Effective and Accountable Government Program at the Project on Government Oversight, warned that removing inspectors general would leave the public vulnerable to corruption and abuse of power. Trump has previously fired multiple inspectors general, including Michael Atkinson, the chief watchdog of the intelligence community, who transmitted a whistleblower complaint that led to the impeachment inquiry against Trump.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment. However, Trump has previously defended his authority to remove inspectors general, citing their lack of independence. The move could prompt a political backlash.
Inspector generals are responsible for identifying possible criminal behavior and referring it for prosecution. Currently, there are nearly a dozen vacant inspector general positions, including at the Treasury and Commerce Departments and the National Security Agency.
