Security personnel escorted the US Department of Agriculture’s inspector general from her office this week after she refused to comply with her dismissal by the Trump administration, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
Phyllis Fong, who had served in the department for 22 years, informed colleagues that she planned to remain in her position despite being terminated by the White House.According to sources, she argued that the administration had not followed the proper procedures. Fong previously served as the first chairperson of CIGIE from 2008 to 2014, according to her USDA biography.
In an email to colleagues, reportedly reviewed by Reuters, Fong cited the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, stating that the council had determined the termination notices did not adhere to legal requirements and were therefore not effective.
What White House said on Phyllis Fong’s termination
The White House defended the dismissals of Fong and other inspectors general, claiming that “these rogue, partisan bureaucrats… have been relieved of their duties to make way for qualified individuals who will uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy.”
As USDA’s inspector general, Fong oversaw a broad range of responsibilities, 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 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 Elon Musk’s brain implant company, Neuralink, 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 Trump recently a move critics described as a “Friday-night purge.”