Donald Trump Fires State Department Inspector Investigating Mike Pompeo

Steve Linick, pictured here in Washington on October 2, 2019, was dismissed from his duties as an inspector for the United States government on May 16, 2020. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

Text by: RFI Follow

Officially, Steve Linick had lost the president's confidence. This is in any case what the latter wrote in a letter to Congress. The Democratic opposition calls it an "illegal act of reprisal".

Publicity

Read more

Is Steve Linick a new victim of the fury of Donald Trump against anyone the President considers disloyal to him?

His name is in any case added to a long list of inspectors general and other administrative officials removed from office after criticizing the head of the White House.

Investigation of Mike Pompeo

Steve Linick was appointed State Department Inspector in 2013 by President Barack Obama. Its mission was to control the $ 70 billion that American diplomacy spends each year. According to a source within the Democratic Party, the inspector was investigating Mike Pompeo for possible abuse of service: the head of diplomacy asked one of his advisers to perform personal tasks for him and his wife.

If the State Department has confirmed the dismissal of the inspector, on the night of Friday May 15 to Saturday May 16, he did not give any explanation on his motivations.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi , said that Steve Linick was "  punished for having fulfilled his duty to protect the Constitution and [  national ] security  ". The inspector will be replaced by Stephen Akard, a former assistant to Vice President Mike Pence.

The late-night, weekend firing of State Department IG Steve Linick is an acceleration of the President's dangerous pattern of retaliation against the patriotic public servants charged with conducting oversight on behalf of the American people. https://t.co/VavmuJpX25

  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 16, 2020

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • United States
  • Donald trump

On the same subject

Covid-19: Sacked scientist testifies for prosecution against Trump administration

Coronavirus screening tests: Donald Trump dies against journalist