inspector general

Some past inspectors general have faced accusations of being too combative — or too cozy — with department leadership.

He and other legislators have asked the Treasury Department’s inspector general for tax administration to investigate the deal’s legality.

Upon returning to the White House in January, Trump removed many of the government's inspectors general and has installed acting heads of the watchdogs at the defence, commerce, labour and health departments.

Lankford joins fellow Republican and Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker, who penned a letter earlier in the week requesting the inspector general of the US Department of Defense look into the incident.

In his first term in office, Trump dismissed or replaced five inspectors general, officials assigned to departments throughout the executive branch of government to monitor waste, abuse and fraud.