Security agents escorted Phyllis Fong, the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from her office on Monday after she refused to comply with her termination by the Trump administration, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Fong, who had served in the role for 22 years, had indicated to colleagues that she intended to remain in her position, arguing that the White House had not followed proper legal protocols in her dismissal.
In an email sent to colleagues on Saturday, which was reviewed by Reuters, Fong referenced the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), an independent federal oversight group. She wrote that the council had determined that the termination notices issued by the administration “do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time.”
The Office of the Inspector General declined to comment on the matter, and Fong herself did not respond to multiple inquiries.
THIS is what WINNING looks like 🏆
Security physically REMOVED USDA Phyllis Fong as she refused to accept that she was FIRED by President Trump. pic.twitter.com/rTbHgjBPJH
— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) January 29, 2025
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture later stated that Fong left the office voluntarily. “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.
The White House defended the dismissals of Fong and 16 other inspectors general, calling them “rogue, partisan bureaucrats” and stating that their removal was necessary to bring in individuals who would “uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy.”
As the inspector general of the USDA, Fong oversaw audits, consumer food safety investigations, and enforcement of animal welfare laws. Her office has recently been involved in multiple high-profile inquiries, including concerns over bird flu, which has spread among cattle and poultry and resulted in a fatal case in Louisiana.
Phyllis Fong – escorted out after 22 years of failure.
For over two decades, she was part of the bureaucratic machine that oversaw the decline of American health, nutrition, and agricultural integrity. Under her watch, obesity soared, food quality deteriorated, and special… pic.twitter.com/Kmi5jkJuCw
— John Galt (@dadiani_george) January 30, 2025
In 2022, the inspector general’s office launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s brain implant company, Neuralink, which remains ongoing. The office has also conducted investigations into animal welfare violations at dog breeding facilities and the listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head products.
Musk, who played a prominent role in supporting President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign by contributing over $250 million, has become a key figure in Trump’s political circle.
Fong was among 17 federal watchdogs dismissed by the administration on Friday in what critics described as a large-scale removal of government oversight officials. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump defended the move, calling it a routine action and stating, “It’s a very common thing to do.” The White House has not yet announced replacements for the vacant positions.
The dismissals have drawn criticism from some lawmakers and government oversight groups. In a letter to the White House on Friday, CIGIE asserted that the firings appeared to violate federal law governing the removal of inspectors general. Fong previously served as the first chairperson of CIGIE from 2008 to 2014.
Following the publication of the Reuters report, Senator Mazie Hirono voiced concerns about the dismissals. “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,” she wrote on X.
The administration has not yet responded to CIGIE’s legal concerns or provided further details on who will fill the inspector general positions moving forward.
