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Washington – President Trump fired the inspector general for the United States Agency for International Development on Tuesday, one day after he released a report detailing the impact of the administration’s cuts to the agency, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Paul Martin, the ousted inspector general, was given no reason for his dismissal in a two-sentence email from Trent Morse, deputy director of the White House’s Office of Presidential Personnel. Martin was appointed by former President Joe Biden and led the inspector general’s office since December 2023. News of his firing was first reported by CNN.
His termination came a day after his office released a report on the impact of the White House’s effort to shut down USAID. The report found that nearly $500 million in food aid was at risk of spoiling as it sat in ports, ships, and warehouses after the funding cuts. No one else at the USAID inspector general’s office has been put on leave, though employees were told on Tuesday they no longer have access to their office in the Ronald Reagan building. USAID’s lease in the building was terminated over the weekend.
In an email to colleagues, Martin wrote that he was notified his termination is effective immediately, and that the assistant inspector general for investigations will become acting inspector general.
Mr. Trump also ousted the director of the Office of Government Ethics, David Huitema, this week.
Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.
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Aaron Navarro is a CBS News digital reporter covering the 2024 elections. He was previously an associate producer for the CBS News political unit in the 2021 and 2022 election cycles.
Aaron Navarro, author of this report and a CBS News digital reporter focused on the 2024 elections, contributed to the piece on President Trump firing Paul Martin, part of a larger study covering the administration’s cuts to the Agency for International Development (USAID).Navarro has written extensively on various events, including the 2020 U.S. election campaigns and legislative developments.
Successors to Mr. Trump’s violent,countless executive actions had their own reaction. Democrats and even some Republicans in Congress, like Sen. Chuck Grassley, have demanded that the administration provide a rationale, arguing federal law requires a justification.**
Mr. Trump also ousted the director of the Office of Government Ethics, David Huitema, this week.
Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.
