Glenn Fine, the principal deputy inspector general of the Department of Defence, has submitted his resignation from the post.
"The role of Inspectors General is a strength of our system of government. They provide independent oversight to help improve government operations in a transparent way. After many years in the DoJ and DoD OIGs, I believe the time has come for me to step down and allow others to perform this vital role", Fine said in a statement.
In April, the Pentagon announced that US President Donald Trump had removed acting Pentagon Inspector General Glenn Fine days after he was appointed to chair a panel overseeing a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package. Fine was also dismissed as the chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.
That same month, President Trump also dismissed Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Horowitz. The firing of the inspector generals has prompted backlash from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The chair of the committee said that the president's moves were "a blatant attempt to degrade the independence of Inspectors General who serve as checks against waste, fraud, and abuse".
Earlier in the month, President Trump ousted State Department Inspector General Steve Linick upon Mike Pompeo's recommendation. The latest firing prompted House Democrats to launch a probe to establish whether the move was politically motivated.
