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.”
[…]
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.
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
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 25, 2025
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. […]
— Read More: pjmedia.com
