By Andrew Goudsward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump fired the head of a U.S. watchdog agency focused on protecting government whistleblowers, the official said on Monday in a lawsuit alleging that his removal was unlawful.
Hampton Dellinger, who was appointed in 2023 to head the Office of Special Counsel, said in the lawsuit that he received an email from the head of the White House personnel office on Friday informing him, on behalf of Trump, that his position was terminated effective immediately.
Dellinger, whose appointment by Democratic President Joe Biden to a five-year term was confirmed by the Senate in 2024, alleged his firing violated a U.S. law that only allows for him to be removed for neglect of duty or misconduct.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The attempt to remove Dellinger is the latest move by the Trump administration to expel officials who investigate wrongdoing within the federal government. Trump last month fired 17 inspectors general who serve as independent watchdogs within their agencies, without providing a reason.
The special counsel office allows whistleblowers to make disclosures about alleged misconduct within federal agencies and investigates complaints of retaliation. It also enforces a U.S. law known as the Hatch Act that limits political participation by federal employees.
Dellinger’s lawsuit, filed in federal District Court in Washington D.C., alleges that his firing was “without basis, justification or authority.”
It seeks a court order reinstating him to his post.
Dellinger said his firing was even more consequential given moves by the Trump administration, and billionaire Elon Musk’s government overhaul, to remove public employees despite employment protections.
Trump and his allies have argued that Trump’s powers under the Constitution give him broad control over the employees of executive agencies.
“These terminations will appear to whistleblowers as retaliation to the office that is supposed to protect them.” J. Ward Morrow, the assistant general counsel at the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing government employees, said in an email.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Rod Nickel)
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