Fired USDA Inspector General Resists Exit, Forced Out by Officials [WATCH]

Phyllis Fong, the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), was escorted out of her office by security on Wednesday after refusing to leave her post following her dismissal by the Trump administration.

BREAKING: USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong was reportedly escorted out of her office by security after she refused to leave after President Trump fired her.

Bye bye pic.twitter.com/ZClXI38Zpr

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 29, 2025

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Fong was among 17 inspectors general removed last week in a sweeping decision that has drawn scrutiny from some lawmakers.

According to Reuters, Fong had informed colleagues of her intent to remain in her position, arguing that the administration had not followed the proper legal procedures for her removal.

In an email sent over the weekend, she cited the stance of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), which questioned the validity of the termination notices.

“The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency has taken the position that these termination notices do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time,” Fong wrote in her message.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) also raised concerns about the process, stating that the administration had failed to provide Congress with the required 30-day notice before removing the inspectors general.

However, the White House defended the decision, asserting that President Donald Trump acted within his executive authority.

“It is the belief of this White House and the White House counsel’s office that the president was within his executive authority” to remove the officials, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

Leavitt emphasized that as the head of the executive branch, Trump has the authority to dismiss any official within it.

“The president is the executive of the executive branch, and therefore he has the power to fire anyone within the executive branch that he wishes to,” she stated.

To support the legality of the decision, Leavitt pointed to the 2020 Supreme Court ruling in Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which found that the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) violated the constitutional separation of powers.

The decision affirmed the president’s ability to remove certain executive branch officials.

“I would advise you to look at that case, and that’s the legality that this White House was resting on,” Leavitt said when questioned about the administration’s legal justification.

When asked whether the administration believed its decision would withstand a legal challenge from the dismissed inspectors general, Leavitt was clear in her response.

“We will win in court,” she stated before moving on to other topics.

️SEILA LAW V. CFPB

Here’s the Supreme Court case @karolineleavitt was referencing in this clip, saying that the president has the authority to fire people in the executive branch.

The case is Seila Law v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2020).

with the relevant… pic.twitter.com/9d8BzBswur

— Tyler O’Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) January 28, 2025

The removal of multiple inspectors general has raised debate in Washington, with critics arguing that the firings could face legal pushback, while supporters maintain that the administration is exercising its rightful authority.

As the situation unfolds, legal experts and lawmakers will likely continue to weigh in on whether the dismissals were properly executed under federal law.

For now, Fong’s forced removal from her office marks a dramatic escalation in the dispute, signaling that the administration is moving forward with its decisions despite opposition.

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