USDA Inspector General Escorted Out After Disputing Dismissal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Security agents escorted Phyllis Fong, the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), out of her office on Monday after she refused to comply with her firing by the Trump administration, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Fong, a 22-year veteran of the department, had informed colleagues that she intended to remain in her position despite being terminated by the White House on Friday. She argued that the administration had not followed proper legal procedures, according to sources. In an email to colleagues on Saturday, reviewed by Reuters, Fong cited the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), stating that the termination notices did not comply with legal requirements and were therefore ineffective.

The White House defended the dismissal, describing Fong and other inspectors general as “rogue, partisan bureaucrats” who were relieved of their duties to make way for qualified individuals who would “uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy.”

As USDA inspector general, Fong oversaw a broad mandate, including consumer food safety, audits, and investigations into the Agriculture Department, as well as enforcement of animal welfare laws. The USDA has been central to addressing concerns over the spread of bird flu, which has affected cattle and poultry and resulted in a fatality in Louisiana.

In 2022, Fong’s office launched an investigation into Neuralink, a brain implant company, which remains ongoing, sources said. In recent years, the office has also investigated animal abuse at research dog breeders and the listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head, among other issues.

Fong was among 17 federal watchdogs dismissed by President Trump in what critics described as a “Friday-night purge.” Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump defended the move, saying, “It’s a very common thing to do.” He did not specify who would fill the vacant posts.

The dismissals, issued less than a week after Trump began his second term, appeared to violate federal law, according to CIGIE, which sent a letter to the White House on Friday. Fong previously served as the first chairperson of CIGIE from 2008 to 2014, according to her USDA biography.

In response to the firings, Senator Mazie Hirono criticized Trump’s actions, stating, “Egg prices are soaring. Bird flu is out of control. USDA should be fixing this problem. Instead, Trump is stacking the federal government with yes-men. He doesn’t care about your grocery prices.”

After this article was published, a USDA spokesperson said Fong left the office Monday on her own accord. “She was accompanied by two friends who she paused to take selfies with on her way out. Security officials did not play any role in her departure,” the spokesperson said.