White House Moves to Defund Key Oversight Office; Websites Go Dark
The Trump Administration moved to defund the office that oversees the federal government’s inspectors general.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) says it will decline fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), the umbrella group that helps the 72 inspectors general.
The council would not have been impacted otherwise by the shutdown, because Congress had already appropriated fiscal year 2026 funding for CIGIE.
CIGIE provides various resources to federal inspectors general to help them do their jobs. It also operates hotlines for tips, hosts various IG websites, and provides data and investigative tools.
In a letter to House and Senate Committees, OMB says that CIGIE will “cease our statutorily mandated functions and furlough 25 permanent employees” without funding.
The administration blamed corruption.
“Inspectors general are meant to be impartial watchdogs identifying waste and corruption on behalf of the American people,” said OMB spokesman Armen Tooloee. “Unfortunately, they have become corrupt, partisan, and in some cases, have lied to the public. The American people will no longer be funding this corruption.”
In addition, websites for IGs across the government have gone dark.
The sites read, “Due to a lack of apportionment of funds, this website is currently unavailable.” That message is different from other government websites, which say they are not being updated as regularly during the shutdown.
The decision did not sit well with members of Congress, including some Republicans.
“Absent immediate action, CIGIE and PRAC (Pandemic Response Accountability Committee) will need to furlough staff and terminate important functions that help prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the government,” wrote Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) in a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought. “Any adverse consequences will be solely due to OMB’s decision not to apportion available funds, rather than any lapse in appropriations.”
The move comes after President Trump fired 17 inspectors general in the early days of his second term. A federal judge recently ruled that the president violated federal law by removing them without notifying Congress and without providing a valid reason. However, Judge Ana Reyes did not reinstate the IGs to their jobs.
