In a move that has drawn sharp criticism, former President Donald Trump dismissed 17 independent inspectors general across various federal agencies late Friday. The White House Presidential Personnel Office notified the officials via email, according to initial reporting by the Washington Post. The dismissals impacted agencies including the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, HUD, Department of Veterans Affairs, and others.

One of the terminated inspectors general characterized the action as a "widespread massacre" to the Washington Post, expressing concern that replacements would be perceived as loyalists, undermining the system's integrity. This concern was echoed by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who suggested the action might violate federal law requiring 30 days' notice to Congress before such dismissals. Grassley publicly requested further explanation from Trump.

Inspectors general play a crucial role in investigating waste, fraud, and abuse within government agencies. Their independence allows them to serve across administrations. This mass firing follows other actions by Trump to reshape the federal bureaucracy, including shutting down diversity programs and replacing officials with those aligned with his agenda. The move has been interpreted by some as an attempt to consolidate power and remove potential obstacles to his policies.

Notably, Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who led the investigation into the FBI's Russia probe, was not among those dismissed, as reported by the New York Times. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) condemned the firings as a "purge" designed to dismantle checks on presidential power and facilitate corruption.

This is not the first time Trump has dismissed inspectors general. In 2020, he fired five within a short period, including the State Department's inspector general involved in his impeachment proceedings. More recently, in 2022, Congress passed reforms to strengthen protections for these officials, making it more challenging to replace them with political appointees and requiring presidential justification for removals. This incident highlights the ongoing tension between presidential authority and independent oversight within the government.