Trump fires State Department official Steve Linick
May 16, 2020
Washington DC [USA], May 16 : US State Department Inspector General Steve Linick was ousted on Friday evening, becoming the latest government watchdog to be removed from his post by the Donald Trump administration.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that ambassador Stephen Akard, a former career Foreign Service officer, will replace Linick, who was appointed to the role in 2013 by then-President Barack Obama.
"On September 11, 2019, ambassador Akard was confirmed by the Senate, 90-2, to lead the Department's Office of Foreign Missions and we look forward to him leading the Office of the Inspector General," the spokesperson said.
Linick, whose ouster was first reported by Politico, played a small role in Trump's impeachment, providing documents to lawmakers that had been handed over to the State Department by Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer.
"As is the case with regard to other positions where I, as President, have the power of appointment, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, it is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as Inspector General. That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector General," Trump wrote in a letter to congressional leaders.
The executive branch is required by law to inform Congress 30 days ahead of time if it fires an inspector general.
Before joining the Trump administration, Akard served as chief of staff for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation under then-governor Mike Pence. He has also served as a special assistant in the Executive Secretariat, a political officer, and worked in the embassy in Brussels and consulate in Mumbai since joining the State Department.
It is, however, unclear how the shake-up will impact work at the State Department, which has been known to face deep morale issues since Trump took office.
Linick is the latest in a series of inspectors general to lose their roles in recent weeks.
"The President's late-night, weekend firing of the State Department Inspector General has accelerated his dangerous pattern of retaliation against the patriotic public servants charged with conducting oversight on behalf of the American people. Inspector General Linick was punished for honorably performing his duty to protect the Constitution and our national security, as required by the law and by his oath," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
Linick's firing comes the same day as House Democrats passed a USD 3 trillion coronavirus relief bill that sought to impose further restrictions on Trump's ability to dismiss inspector generals, requiring that the President gives Congress a reason for putting such officials on administrative leave and outlining acceptable reasons for removal.
