8: The Rise and Fall of the United States Federal Inspectors General: Will They Be Phoenixes Rising?

In retrospect, it is clear that the first Trump administration had a serious, negative impact on the anti‑corruption and ethics institutions of the federal government, in particular, the inspectors general (IGs). Based on first-hand accounts, this chapter details this impact and explains how President Donald Trump’s political pressure, threats, and firings exposed the weaknesses in the United States’ government accountability system. The tone from the top allowed federal leadership to ignore longstanding ethics rules, and the firings had a chilling effect on the IGs’ willingness to pursue fraud, waste, abuse, corruption, and mismanagement. The chapter concludes with several recommendations to strengthen the IG community and help them to be able to withstand similar pressures from the second Trump administration or any future presidential administrations who follow a similar path. Recommendations include filling IG vacancies more expediently, giving greater authority to the integrity agencies that support IG missions, and reducing the number of political appointees in federal agencies, among others.