The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Daily: Trump Admin Attacks on Inspectors General with Cristin Dorgelo and Rob Storch
Dec 18, 2025
Cristin Dorgelo, a former Senior Advisor for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, and Rob Storch, the former Inspector General of the Department of Defense, join to discuss the Trump administration's systematic undermining of oversight roles. They delve into the mass firings of inspectors general, the chilling effects on accountability, and the dangers posed to transparency and whistleblower protections. The conversation highlights the essential need for independent oversight and proposes pathways for restoring accountability in governance.
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IGs’ Core Role In Government Oversight
- Offices of Inspector General exist to detect waste, fraud, abuse, and promote agency economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.
- Their programmatic audits and evaluations plus investigations provide independent, nonpartisan assessments that improve agency performance.
Bipartisan Confirmation Story
- Rob Storch described being nominated and confirmed across administrations and keeping both presidential appointment certificates on his wall.
- He used that as a metaphor for the nonpartisan nature of IG work.
January 24 Firings Were Extraordinary
- The January 24 mass removal of 18 IGs was unprecedented in four decades and violated IG Act notification requirements.
- CBPP views the removals as part of a broader, systemic effort to weaken independent oversight.