USDA Inspector General Removed From Office After Defying Trump

Security agents escorted the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) out of her office after she refused to comply with her dismissal by the Trump administration, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters reporter Rachael Levy.

The USDA inspector general holds a broad mandate, overseeing consumer food safety, conducting audits and investigations of the Agriculture Department, and enforcing animal welfare laws.

Phyllis Fong, a 22-year veteran of the department, had informed colleagues that she intended to remain in her position despite the White House's termination order on Friday, arguing that the administration had not followed proper protocols, the sources said.

In an email to colleagues on Saturday, reviewed by Reuters, Fong stated that the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) “has taken the position that these termination notices do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time.”

The White House defended Fong's dismissal, along with that of other inspectors general, stating, "These rogue, partisan bureaucrats... have been relieved of their duties to make room for qualified individuals who will uphold the rule of law and protect democracy."

The USDA inspector general holds a broad mandate, overseeing consumer food safety, conducting audits and investigations of the Agriculture Department, and enforcing animal welfare laws.

The USDA has also been at the center of concerns regarding bird flu, which has spread among cattle and poultry and resulted in a fatality in Louisiana.