Trump Eradicates Critical Oversight as he Fires More Inspectors General than All Other US Presidents Combined

President Trump has removed more inspectors general (IGs) than all other presidents combined, leaving a gaping hole for accountability and ethics concerns according to a new Public Citizen report titled Undoing Accountability.

In several cases, Trump’s removal of IGs has been closely tied to the issuance of OIG reports that have been critical of specific actions by the Trump administration, have close ties to his administration, or have a history of unethical or potentially illegal conduct. In September 2025, the Trump administration also attempted to completely shut-down the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), the nation’s federal IG coordinating council.

In most cases, Trump has replaced IGs he has fired with those whose independence is questionable, have had close ties to his administration or have a history of unethical or potentially illegal conduct. Public Citizen Researcher Douglas Pasternak, who authored the report, said inspectors general play a fundamental and independent role in holding government officials accountable to the public.

“President Trump has taken a wrecking ball to the inspector general community since he stepped into office last year, firing more IGs than all other previous presidents combined for no cause at all,” said Pasternak. “Trump’s efforts have also led to a dramatic decrease in the number of IG staff that help root out waste, fraud, and abuse, in some offices by as much as 30-percent. President Trump’s actions will encourage corruption, discourage aggressive oversight, and harm the American taxpayer. We should all be paying close attention, and demand that the IG community, which has always been independent and nonpartisan, not be turned into a political weapon of the White House.”

Read the full report here.

Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert and Researcher Douglas Pasternak are both available for interviews.