Trump fires 17 inspectors general at key US agencies without notice

Agencies include defence, state, transportation, veterans affairs, housing and urban development, interior, and energy

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US President Donald Trump's administration fired the independent inspectors general of more than a dozen major government agencies late on Friday, US media reported.

The agencies include the departments of defence, state, transportation, veterans affairs, housing and urban development, interior, and energy, Washington Post said, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

The New York Times said the purge affected 17 agencies but spared the Department of Justice inspector general, Michael Horowitz.

The Post said the firings "appeared to violate federal law, which requires Congress to receive 30 days’ notice of any intent to fire the inspectors general."

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reports.

An inspector general is an independent position that conducts audits, investigations and inspectors into allegations of waste, fraud and abuse. They can be removed by the president or the agency head, depending on who nominated or appointed them.

Most of those dismissed were appointees from Trump's 2017-2021 first term, the Post reporting, saying those affected had been notified by emails from the White House personnel director that they had been terminated effective immediately.