Trump has fired the inspector general of more than a dozen federal agencies.

According to a Trump administration official, President Donald Trump dismissed the inspectors general of over a dozen federal agencies on Friday night, opening the door for him to appoint his own candidates for independent oversight positions.

The agency’s inspector general received an email late Friday from White House chief of staff Sergio Gore, informing them that their positions would be “immediately” terminated due to a “change.The upheaval affected a broad swath of the federal government, including the Departments of State, Energy, Interior, Defense, and Transportation.

Trump pushed his agenda in the early days of his presidency

During Trump’s first term, he fired from his administration independent government watchdogs he deemed disloyal. An IG investigates and audits any potential malfeasance, fraud, waste, or abuse by a government agency or its officials and issues reports and recommendations on its findings. The purpose of an IG office is to function independently.

Advertising impressions Partly in response to Trump’s firing of the last IG, Congress created new checkpoints to protect him. The 2022 law requires the White House to provide compelling reasons for firing any inspector general.

The firing has drawn concern from some GOP senators, including Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, a well-known “watchdog” for IGs, who said Congress should direct the White House to give 30 days notice, which was not given as required by federal law.

“I did it because it’s a very common thing to do,” Trump said Saturday night, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that “not all of them were removed.” “I don’t know about them, but some people thought some were unfair or they weren’t working. It’s a very standard thing to do,” he added, without providing evidence.

The Washington Post first reported the shooting.

The chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Performance said in a statement on Saturday that the law on removing inspectors general should be followed.

While detailing the functions of the post, Ware highlighted the impartial nature of the IG. “Federal government IGs work every day on behalf of the American taxpayer to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in their agencies’ programs and operations,” he said.

Republican senators, including Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, said they had not been given a heads-up or explanation about the White House’s decision.“I haven’t, so I’d better save a comment. I’m sure I will,” Thune told CNN.Other GOP senators expressed concern over the fact that they did not receive notice and about the widespread nature of the shooting.

“What I understand is that it’s relatively unprecedented that no notice has been given,” said Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, adding, “I understand that the incoming president will have IGs in place that are qualified and of character.”Why would one want to look critically at the fact that they have played within different agencies, but… I think the summary dismissal of everyone has raised concerns?”

Pressed on whether she wanted to provide more information to the White House, Murkowski said she would trust Grassley to “help guide her through that. want more clarification from President Trump. Regardless, the detailed 30-day notice of removal that the law requires was not provided to Congress.Sen. Susan Collins also expressed concern over the firing, saying the firing of the inspector general “doesn’t match Trump’s stated goal of ending corruption.So that leaves a void that 

So I’ll wait and see what that means in terms of other people coming in. Is it specific to individuals? I just don’t have that information,” he said.I heard about it briefly this morning. I’m sure there will be a discussion about it, but I don’t know what the logic was, and I don’t know the reasoning. We’ll give him a chance to explain it. will,” added the South Dakota Republican.

Democrats criticized the firings, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling the move “a cold snap” and warning that the firings could usher in a “golden age of abuse and even corruption in government.”This story has been updated with additional reporting.Correction: This story has been updated to reflect when the law expanding inspector general’s protections was amended.