WASHINGTON _ The State Department's inspector general has been fired, according to two people familiar with the matter.
It wasn't immediately known what led to the departure of Steve Linick, but President Donald Trump has repeatedly clashed with independent federal watchdogs, challenging their findings and implying they might have a political agenda.
Linick could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement late Friday night, the State Department said it was "happy to announce that Ambassador Stephen J. Akard will now lead the Office of the Inspector General."
In early April, Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for U.S. intelligence agencies.
The same month, Trump ousted Glenn Fine from his position as acting Defense Department inspector general, which also made him ineligible to continue as chairman of the new Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. Michael Horowitz, head of a council of federal inspectors general, chose Fine for the new role of pandemic-spending watchdog.
