In a decisive move that has sent shockwaves through the political elite in Washington, President Trump has dismissed 17 inspectors general.
“The inspectors general were dismissed via emails from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, with no notice sent to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who have pledged bipartisan support for the watchdogs, in advance of the firings, the person said,” reports Politico. “The emails gave no substantive explanation for the dismissals, with at least one citing ‘changing priorities’ for the move, the person added.”
Trump’s brazen move provides an early test for Congress, less than a week into Trump’s return to office, and in particular to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) who has long championed the independence of inspectors general. And it shows how willing the president is to stretch the limits of his authority to dismantle the federal government bureaucracy that he and his allies label the “deep state.”
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Inspectors general are tasked with ridding the government of waste, fraud and abuse, one of Trump’s stated goals. But he has remained long suspicious of federal government officials who he blames with stymieing action during his first term in office. Trump’s early picks for top government jobs show the value he is placing on loyalty above all else.
Naturally, Democrats and the media are up in arms over this story:
It’s a purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 25, 2025
Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse, and preventing misconduct.
President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption. https://t.co/mZNGzche7Y
By definition, inspectors general are supposed to be independent federal watchdogs who are tasked with identifying and cleaning up waste and abuse in government. That’s what we expect them to do. However, as RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree notes, many of the inspectors general have a track record of whitewashing reports and engaging in partisan politics, where left-wing officials are often given a pass.
‼️‼️TRUMP FIRES 17 INSPECTORS GENERALS in a late-night purge punctuating the end of his first five days in office. @RealDonaldTrump dismissed 17 federal agency watchdogs. I've covered these IGs for years -- and trust me when I say, even though they are charged with ferreting out… pic.twitter.com/ILwBW2NRxY
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) January 25, 2025
And if you think about it, can anyone give me any examples of accountability during the Biden administration? Anyone?
Anyone?
Firing inspectors general is not unprecedented.
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, Trump fired five inspectors general in less than two months in 2020. This included the State Department, whose inspector general had played a role in the president’s impeachment proceedings.
Last year, Trump’s predecessor 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 hand-picked officials and requiring additional explanations from a president for their removal.
That said, firing an inspector general is rarely without controversy, though in Barack Obama's case, the controversy was justified. In 2009, Obama fired Inspector General Gerald Walpin to protect a political ally. Walpin had been investigating Obama’s friend and donor, Kevin Johnson, who had misused federal AmeriCorps funds by funneling them into his personal nonprofit, using the money for political activities, and even paying hush money to underage girls who had accused him of sexual abuse.
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After Walpin recommended charges against Johnson, Obama fired him—blatantly violating federal law, which requires proper notice and a written explanation to Congress before removing an inspector general. When Congress launched an investigation into the illegal firing, the Obama White House stonewalled, withholding critical documents and misleading lawmakers about the true reasons for Walpin’s termination.
Reports suggest that Trump did not notify Congress of his decision to fire the inspectors general, as required by law. As a result, the terminations may need to undergo additional legal review and procedural steps before they are finalized. But based on Susan Crabtree assessment of these IGs, it's clear that these deep staters needed replacing.
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