On the evening of Friday, January 24, 2025, the fifth day of his second term, Trump fired 17 inspectors general, the independent watchdogs who investigate fraud, waste and abuse inside federal agencies, by the count of the federal court that later reviewed the firings. “Each IG's termination message came in a two-sentence email from either Director of Presidential Personnel Sergio Gor or Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel Trent Morse,” the court wrote. The one sent at 7:37 p.m. to the Agriculture Department's inspector general read: “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that due to changing priorities your position as Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture is terminated, effective immediately.”
Early counts varied as the fired officials compared notes: Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said “at least 12,” The Washington Post reported at least 15, and NBC News, citing the head of the inspectors general council, reported 18. The agencies named in the court record and coverage include Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Labor, the Small Business Administration, Interior, Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Commerce. “The move did not affect the inspectors general for the Justice Department or the Department of Homeland Security,” NBC reported. A Congressional Research Service report quoted by CNN found that “Since 1981, IGs have remained in their positions during each presidential transition.”
The Inspector General Act requires the president to send both houses of Congress “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons,” for removing an inspector general “not later than 30 days before the removal.” Trump gave neither, and in court his administration conceded that “President Trump did not notify Congress 30 days before removing Plaintiffs.” Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chair of the Judiciary Committee, said, “There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so. I'd like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30 day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.” Sen. Susan Collins said, “I don't understand why one would fire individuals whose mission is to root out waste, fraud and abuse.” Sen. Lindsey Graham defended the firings but said of the notice, “Yeah, he should have done that.” Trump told reporters, “I did it because it's a very common thing to do,” and “It's a very standard thing to do.”
Eight of the fired inspectors general sued. On September 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes wrote, “President Trump violated the IGA. That much is obvious.” She still refused to reinstate them, reasoning that “if the IGs were reinstated, the President could lawfully remove them after 30 days by providing the required notice and rationale to Congress,” and she did not decide whether the notice law is constitutional. “They deserved better from their government. They still do,” she wrote. After the Supreme Court's June 2026 ruling in Trump v. Slaughter, the Justice Department argued that the notice provision “does not give Inspectors General a cognizable right to challenge their removal”; as of October 2026 the two sides were briefing cross-motions for summary judgment on a declaration and back pay.
The removals did not stop in January. USAID Inspector General Paul Martin was fired on February 11, 2025, and Trump fired the Export-Import Bank's inspector general on October 15, 2025, again without telling Congress. Grassley posted that the law requires the president to inform Congress “and unless the courts say otherwise thats still the law.” Related: Trump Fires Hampton Dellinger, Head of the Office That Protects Federal Whistleblowers, by Email With No Reason Given and Trump Removed an FEC Commissioner and Nominated No One for a Year. The Election Regulator Still Can't Enforce the Law..
Correction (October 26, 2026): This entry previously dated the firings January 20, 2025 and said Trump fired “17+” inspectors general on his first day. The emails went out on the evening of Friday, January 24, 2025, the fifth day of his term, and the federal court that reviewed the firings counts 17 (early reports ranged from at least 12 to 18). The date, title, summary and key facts have been corrected, and the court record and contemporaneous reporting have been added as sources.