Trump purges at least a dozen inspectors general overnight

Democrats described Trump's late-night firing of the federal agency inspectors general as an 'attack on Democracy'.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersTrump fires at least a dozen government watchdogs15 hours agoHolly Honderichin WashingtonGetty ImagesThe Trump administration has fired at least a dozen federal watchdogs late on Friday evening, a possibly illegal move that could face court challenges.

Speaking from the Senate floor on Saturday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the watchdog firings as a "chilling purge".

"These firings are Donald Trump's way of telling us he is terrified of accountability and is hostile to facts and to transparency," said Schumer, a Democrat from New York.

The White House has not confirmed the firings and did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Affected inspectors general were sent emails from the director of presidential personnel overnight on Friday telling them that "due to changing priorities, your position as inspector general... is terminated, effective immediately", according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yveml59jlo

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