Trump's Firing of State Department Inspector General Sparks Bipartisan Outcry

Strategic Insights

May 17, 2020 — 1 min read

President Donald Trump's decision to fire State Department Inspector General Steve Linick has sparked a bipartisan outcry, with several Republicans speaking out against the move despite Trump's general statement that he lost confidence in Linick. The probe into Linick's firing was examining whether Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a staffer perform personal errands, and was also looking into Trump's emergency declaration used to send arms to Saudi Arabia.

Key Takeaways:

President Trump has now fired or replaced four inspectors general this year, including former intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson, who notified Congress of the Ukraine whistleblower complaint last year.
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have not publicly commented on the firing of Linick.
Several Republicans, including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, have criticized Trump's explanation for the firing, saying it was not sufficient.
Democrats have vowed to investigate the circumstances surrounding Linick's dismissal, with House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel saying that the probe would look into Trump's emergency declaration and Pompeo's alleged use of a staffer for personal errands.

Statistics:

4: The number of inspectors general fired or replaced by Trump this year.
30: The number of days' notice that Congress requires before inspectors general can be dismissed.
2: The number of Republicans who have spoken out against Trump's firing of Linick, including Romney and Collins.
1: The number of Republicans who have defended Trump's firing of Linick, including Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson.

Sources:

CNN
"LOSER!" tweet by Donald Trump
Statement by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Statement by Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch
Statement by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Statement by Senator Susan Collins
Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley
Statement by Representative Mike McCaul

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