Senate Dems ask for Homeland Security hearing over inspectors general firing

Senate Democrats asked for a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing over the recent inspectors general firings by President Trump in a letter Wednesday.

“President Trump’s sudden removal of 18 Inspectors General on January 25, 2025 and removal of the Inspector General for the U.S. Agency for International Development on February 11, 2025, was a clear violation of federal law and poses an existential threat to the federal government’s ability to conduct independent oversight,” the letter, addressed to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the chair of the committee, reads.

The letter is signed by Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff (Calif.), Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.).

“Congress has a vested interest in ensuring that Inspectors General are protected from political interference and remain trusted, nonpartisan, and accountable watchdogs of the federal government,” the senators wrote.

Last month, over a dozen inspectors general were ousted by the president. Departments affected by the firings included the Defense Department, the State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Department of Veterans Affairs.

On Tuesday, the inspector general for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was booted by the Trump White House shortly after a report critical of the foreign assistance freeze was issued.

“These unprecedented terminations put at grave risk the independence of traditionally nonpartisan Inspectors General and contravened statutory requirements that Presidents must notify Congress prior to an Inspector General’s removal and provide a substantive rationale,” the Democrats said in their letter.

The Hill has reached out to the office of Paul and the White House for comment.