The inspector general of the US Department of Agriculture was reportedly forced out of her office by security agents Monday after refusing to comply with her dismissal by the Trump administration.
Phyllis Fong, a 22-year veteran of the USDA, was one of 17 federal watchdogs fired last Friday in what critics have called a sweeping purge of government oversight officials. Despite the White House's termination order, Fong told colleagues she intended to remain, arguing that the administration had not followed proper legal protocols for her removal, Reuters reported.
In an email obtained by Reuters, Fong cited the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), which said the dismissals "do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time."
The White House defended the firings, calling the inspectors general "rogue, partisan bureaucrats" and saying their removal was necessary to install officials "who will uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy."
Fong's office was responsible for investigating food safety, animal welfare, and agricultural audits, and had recently launched a probe into Elon Musk's Neuralink. Musk, a key Trump ally and major campaign donor, has come under scrutiny for alleged animal welfare violations at the brain-implant company.
The firings have sparked legal concerns, with CIGIE warning that they may have violated federal law. Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, downplayed the dismissals, calling them "a very common thing to do."
Originally published on Latin Times
