Top Senate Republican Jabs Trump For Breaking the Law On Key Firings
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the most senior Republican in the chamber and chair of the Judiciary Committee, dinged President Donald Trump on Friday for breaking the law by firing inspectors general without notifying Congress.
“Pres Trump takes an oath to uphold the constitution & the laws but he hasnt told Congress he was firing the Ex-Im Inspector General,” Grassley wrote on social media, adding:
The law says POTUS has to specifically inform Congress abt IG firings and unless the courts say otherwise thats still the law.
Trump fired almost two dozen inspectors general after starting his second term, sparking an outcry among observers who warned against Trump interfering with the independent watchdogs. In mid-September, a judge found Trump broke the law by not giving Congress a 30-day notice before the firings — a ruling Grassley made clear he agreed with. The court did not, however, restore the IGs to their roles.
Grassley has long been a strong advocate for inspectors general in the government and has fought the Trump administration from gutting them.
Grassley and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote a letter to Trump Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought at the end of September and demanded he “promptly reverse course” on a plan to defund a key group related to the federal government’s inspector generals.
The Washington Post reported on Vought’s plan at the time, explaining that the Trump administration “plans to end funding” for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). The group is “ the umbrella organization for 72 inspectors general across government” that “helps inspectors general root out waste, fraud and abuse” in the government, added the Post.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which Grassley chairs, put out a statement on Tuesday that said Grassley and Collins “sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought calling on OMB to reverse its decision to withhold apportionments for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).”
“Absent immediate action, CIGIE and PRAC will need to furlough staff and terminate important functions that help prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the government,” the senators wrote in their letter.
“Congress has already appropriated FY 2026 funds for CIGIE and PRAC, and both entities enjoy strong bipartisan support. Thus, any adverse consequences will be solely due to OMB’s decision not to apportion available funds, rather than any lapse in appropriations,” continued the letter, adding:
Of course, we recognize the need to ensure that all government entities are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and operate efficiently and effectively. We understand from your staff that OMB’s apportionment decision may be part of a review of CIGIE and PRAC activities. However, we see no reason why such a review could not occur while those entities remain operational so that they can continue the numerous functions that are mandated by law.
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