Dismissals Raise Legal Concerns
US President Donald Trump dismissed 17 independent inspectors general across multiple federal agencies on Friday, eliminating critical oversight roles and paving the way to replace them with loyalists.
These dismissals appear to violate federal law, which mandates the president to notify both houses of Congress 30 days in advance of such actions. The dismissed inspectors were responsible for audits and investigations into allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse of power.
Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the move as a “purge” of independent watchdogs, arguing that it undermines checks on presidential power and could lead to widespread corruption. Former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell defended the decision, claiming the existing inspectors general were ineffective.
These actions come as part of Trump’s broader efforts to reshape the federal bureaucracy by removing diversity programs, rescinding job offers, and sidelining numerous national security and foreign policy officials.
