U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed 15 inspectors general, including those in the Defense and State departments, in a late-night purge on Jan. 24, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Jan. 25.
The move is the latest action the new administration has taken in their first week in office to dismiss government officials and replace them with Trump loyalists.
The mass firing targeted Cabinet-level U.S. agencies, with the exception of the Homeland Security and Justice departments, the WP reported. The surprise termination violates a federal law passed in 2022 that requires Congress to receive 30 days' notice of any plan to fire a Senate-approved inspector general.
"It's a widespread massacre," one fired inspector general told the WP.
"Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system."
Inspector generals provide oversight of federal agencies, investigating cases of possible fraud, waste, and abuse of power. Defense Department Inspectors General have played a role in tracking U.S. military aid to Ukraine throughout Russia's full-scale invasion.
A delegation of watchdogs from the U.S. Defense and State departments visited Kyiv in 2023 and 2024 to hold meetings with Ukrainian officials. The inspections did not find any evidence of military aid theft in Ukraine.
Certain U.S.-supplied defense equipment is subject to enhanced end-use monitoring (EEUM), meaning the items are supposed to be closely tracked. The additional monitoring requirements apply to weapons such as Javelin and Stinger missiles, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), unmanned aircraft systems, and night vision devices.
The firing of independent monitors, including those responsible for tracking military assistance to Ukraine, comes as Trump-appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio issues a 90-day freeze of most foreign aid, including support for Ukraine.
Senior State Department diplomats are reportedly seeking an exemption for Ukraine-related programs, while Ukrainian officials have claimed that Rubio's directive does not apply to military aid.
The future of U.S. military support for Ukraine remains uncertain under President Trump, who has promised to negotiate a quick peace deal and pledged to get the U.S. "out" of the war.
Trump has also used or threatened sweeping dismissals of government employees to advance his so-called "America First" agenda. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz began a full vetting of the National Security Council (NSC) staff, sending home dozens of officials, including those working with Ukraine.
Reuters reported in November 2024 that the Trump team was also preparing lists of mass dismissals at the Pentagon.
The purge of the inspectors general occurred on the same day that the U.S. Senate confirmed Trump's controversial nominee Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary. According to the WP, Senator Elizabeth Warren asked Hegseth during his hearing if he would preserve the department's independent inspectors general.
"If confirmed, I commit to protecting the DoD IG's independence," he replied, according to a document seen by the WP.
Hegseth has not commented on the firings.
"It's a purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night," Warren said in a post on X.
"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."
Andrea Januta
(Updated: )
