Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday morning that President Donald Trump “technically” violated the law in his firing of over a dozen inspectors general on Friday.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House and Graham’s office via email for comment on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Trump’s hasty firing of the inspectors general received significant backlash from his critics with fears he is trying to replace those independent watchdogs with loyalists.
However, even if the president violated the law, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity last year gives presidents wide latitude to bend the rules or even break the law without repercussions.
What To Know
A source familiar with the situation confirmed to Newsweek on Saturday that some inspectors general have been fired.
Inspectors general are independent officials within federal agencies who investigate claims of waste, fraud and abuse of power. They conduct audits, evaluations, and special reviews, among other responsibilities.
According to Reuters, 17 inspectors general at various agencies—including the State, Defense and Transportation departments—received emails from the White House on Friday informing them that their posts had been terminated immediately.
Hannibal “Mike” Ware, who leads the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), said 18 independent watchdogs were fired, according to NBC News, which reported that Ware was among those fired.
Most of the dismissals were officials who had been appointed during Trump’s first presidential term, The Washington Post reported. Michael Horowitz, the inspector general at the Department of Justice, was reportedly spared.
Federal law requires presidents to give Congress “substantive rationale, including detailed and case specific reasons” for the dismissals 30 days before the firings, the CIGIE said in a letter to White House personnel director Sergio Gor on Friday, per Reuters.
Trump told reporters that the move to fire these inspectors general is “a very common thing to do.”
The firings are similar to what he did in 2020 when he dismissed five inspectors general from their roles.
What Did Lindsey Graham Say?
During an appearance on NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday, Welker asked Graham, a Trump ally, “What do you say to those who believe that President Trump is going to replace these watchdogs with loyalists?”
“I’m not overly worried about that,” the senator said. “When you win an election, you need people in your administration that reflect your views.”
Welker then asked: “The law says he’s supposed to give them 30 days’ notice. He didn’t do that. Do you think he violated the law?”
“Well, technically yeah, but he has the authority to do it. I’m not losing a whole lot of sleep that he wants to change the personnel out. I just want to make sure that he gets off to a good start, I think he has. I’m very supportive of what he wants to do with America,” Graham responded.
What People Are Saying
Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and lawyer, said on Meet the Press on Sunday, “To write off this clear violation of the law by saying, ‘Well, technically he broke the law.’ Yeah, he broke the law…The American people, if we don’t have good and independent inspector generals are gonna see the swamp refill, they’re gonna see rampant waste, fraud, they’re gonna see corruption. It may be the president’s goal here.”
John Choon Yoo, a law professor at University of California at Berkeley, told Newsweek in an email on Saturday: “President Trump is well within his power to remove members of the executive branch at will. In Seila Law v. CFPB (2020), the Supreme Court held that Congress could not protect officers of the United States from removal by the President…In Seila Law, the Court said that the only officers that Congress might be able to protect are those that are members of multi-body commissions, like the [Federal Communications Commission] FCC or the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission].”
He added: “The Inspectors General do not have that status; they are simple members of the executive branch agencies. Even if Congress attempts to place conditions on their removal, those conditions are unconstitutional. Any Inspector General that attempts to challenge their removal in court—they would still have to leave office and just sue for back pay—will be wasting their money in lawyers fees.”
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a former Harvard Law professor, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday: “It’s a purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night. Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse, and preventing misconduct. President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption.”
Sidney Powell, who Trump once said was part of his legal team but later said was never his lawyer, wrote on X on Saturday: “Existing IGs are virtually worthless. They may bring a few minor things to light but accomplish next to nothing. The whole system needs to be revamped. They are toothless and protect the institution instead of the citizens.”
Barbara McQuade, MSNBC legal analyst and former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan under the Barack Obama administration, wrote on X on Saturday: “Trump has fired 12 inspectors general without providing the 30-day notice to Congress required by law. He really is pushing the legal limits of his power and daring Congress to stop him.”
What Happens Next
It’s unlikely Trump will face any legal repercussions for the firings, but Schiff reminded the American people of the powers Congress has and said, “We have the power of the purse, we have the power right now to confirm or not confirm people for Cabinet positions that control agencies or would control agencies whose inspector generals have just been fired.”
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