On January 25, 2025, President Donald Trump's administration terminated the independent inspectors general of over a dozen key government agencies. This decision reportedly impacted departments including Defense, State, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Energy.
Reports indicate that the dismissals affected 17 agencies in total, with the exception of the Department of Justice inspector general, Michael Horowitz. The Washington Post noted that these firings could contravene federal law, which mandates a 30-day notification period to Congress prior to such actions.
Inspectors general serve as independent officials responsible for auditing and investigating allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse within their respective agencies. While the president or agency head can remove them, most of those dismissed were initially appointed during Trump's first term from 2017 to 2021.
Notifications regarding the terminations were reportedly communicated via emails from the White House personnel director, indicating that the dismissals were effective immediately. The White House has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this matter.