Washington, DC – Foreign Policy for America (FP4A) denounces President Trump’s illegal and corrupt removal of USAID Inspector General Paul Martin, just a day after Martin’s report exposed the aid freeze and staffing cuts’ negative impact on oversight of humanitarian programs.
Inspector General Martin was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote in 2023, and has been repeatedly cited and praised by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for his commitment to independent oversight. As recently as five days ago, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast commended IG Matin for reporting on what he alleged was “the web of unaccountability at USAID that Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee have called out for years.” We hope that Chairman Mast and other congressional leaders will join us in condemning IG Martin’s unwarranted dismissal.
“Let’s be honest, if any other president had fired an inspector general the day after they issued a report critical of the administration, there would rightfully be a cacophony of bipartisan uproar from Congress,” said Brian Volsky, Policy Director for Foreign Policy for America and a former investigative counsel with the offices of inspector general at the Departments of State and Homeland Security. “IG Martin’s removal should put to bed any notion that the attacks on USAID were ever about addressing waste and abuse in our foreign assistance programs. This action will only lead to less accountability while creating a chilling effect across the inspector general community.”
IG Martin’s removal follows President Trump’s firing of 18 other inspectors general without cause in late January, including State Department IG Cardell Richardson, who was also confirmed by the Senate by voice vote.
