By Edith Olmsted Pew Research Center
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are demanding answers on the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to gut and stymie the work of inspector generals across multiple departments.
In a letter sent Friday to the heads of all 24 federal agencies, and shared exclusively with The New Republic, Oversight Democrats accused the Trump administration of systematically impeding the work of agency watchdogs by obstructing their access, purging their staff, and replacing them with loyalists.
鈥淭he Trump Administration鈥檚 actions have both deprived [Offices of Inspectors General] of the personnel and resources they need to examine and address waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption in government, and limited agencies鈥 ability to respond to OIG requests,鈥 the letter stated.
Since entering office, Donald Trump has fired or demoted more than 20 inspectors general, who had collectively carved out more than $50 billion in savings from federal programs in 2024.
In some cases, the removals appeared to be politically motivated.