在国务卿迈克·庞贝透露他推荐国务院监察长史蒂夫·林尼克被解雇后，唐纳德·特朗普总统在周一表示，他接受庞贝的推荐，因为林尼克是由前总统巴拉克·奥巴马任命的。
庞贝告诉我华盛顿邮报今天早些时候，他敦促解雇林尼克，因为IG未能采取措施改善国务院，从而“破坏”了该机构的使命，但他拒绝提及任何细节。“我去找总统，向他明确表示，林尼克督察长并没有以我们试图让他去做的方式履行职责，”他说，“这是对国务院的补充，非常符合法令规定他应该做的事情。”
在国务卿发表上述言论之前，特朗普在周五晚上解雇林尼克的决定遭到了两党连日的批评。这是总统最近几周第四次解雇监督人员。特朗普周一告诉记者，他听从庞贝的建议，因为他长期以来一直支持解雇奥巴马任命的互联网治理专家。
“我们的很多人保留了奥巴马的监察长，我认为总的来说这不是一件好事，”总统在周一说。“我告诉他们三年了，我说任何人都想摆脱他们的互联网治理者，因为他们是由奥巴马总统任命的，我认为你应该这样做。”
2020年5月17日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在DC首都华盛顿白宫南草坪着陆后接受媒体采访。
特朗普承认，除了国务院和庞贝“对他的工作不满意”之外，他对“林尼克”一无所知他补充道:“因为这是我的权利，所以我说，‘当然，我会做的。’我已经解雇了很多监察长。每个总统都有。"
参议院和众议院的民主党人已经对林尼克的解雇展开了调查，原因是他们担心在他被解雇时，政府已经进行了两次调查——一次涉及特朗普，另一次涉及庞贝。
爱荷华州的共和党参议员查克·格拉斯利周一要求特朗普解释为什么他在没有通知国会的情况下解雇了两名政府官员——林尼克和监察长迈克尔·阿特金森。格拉斯利在给特朗普的一封信中写道:“不加解释地删除互联网监管机构可能会给监管机构带来寒蝉效应，并有降低其报告数量、质量、可信度和真实性的风险。”
众议院议长南希·佩洛西也给特朗普发了一封信，要求他为自己突然解雇林尼克进行辩护，她说法律要求总统向国会提供理由。“你必须通知国会你解除了监察长的职务，”民主党人写道。“你还必须告知国会免职的原因和你缺乏信心的情况，这一点很重要。”
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TRUMP SAYS HE FIRED INSPECTOR GENERAL BECAUSE HE WAS APPOINTED BY OBAMA: WE SHOULD 'GET RID' OF OBAMA IGS
After Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed he had recommended State Department Inspector General (IG) Steve Linick's firing, President Donald Trump on Monday said he followed Pompeo's recommendation because Linick had been appointed by former President Barack Obama.
Pompeo told The Washington Post earlier today that he urged Linick's firing because the IG was "undermining" the agency's mission by failing to act in ways to improve the State Department, but declined to mention any specifics. "I went to the president and made clear to him that Inspector General Linick wasn't performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to," he said, "that was additive for the State Department, very consistent with what the statute says he's supposed to be doing."
The Secretary of State's remarks came after Trump faced days of criticism from both sides of the aisle over his decision to dismiss Linick on Friday evening. It was the president's fourth watchdog dismissal in recent weeks. Trump told reporters on Monday that he followed Pompeo's suggestion because he has long supported firing IGs appointed by Obama.
"A lot of our people kept the Obama inspector general, and I think generally speaking that's not a good thing to do," the president said on Monday. "I told them for three years, I said anybody wants to get rid of their IGs because they're appointed by President Obama, I think you should do so."
US President Donald Trump talks to the media after landing on the south lawn of the White House on May 17, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Trump admitted that he doesn't "know anything about" Linick apart from the fact that the State Department and Pompeo "weren't happy with the job he's doing." He added: "So because it's my right to do it I said, 'sure, I'll do it.' I've gotten rid of a lot of inspector generals. Every president has."
Democrats in the Senate and House have launched a probe into Linick's firing over concerns the IG had been conducting two investigations—one involving Trump and the other Pompeo—at the time of his dismissal.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa on Monday demanded Trump explain why he had fired two IGs—Linick and Inspector General Michael Atkinson—without notifying Congress. "Removal of IGs without explanation could create a chilling effect in the oversight community," Grassley wrote in a letter to Trump, "and risks decreasing the quantity, quality, fidelity, and veracity of their reports."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also sent Trump a letter demanding he justify his abrupt firing of Linick, where she said that the law requires the president to provide Congress with rationale. "You are required to notify Congress of your removal of an Inspector General," the Democrat wrote. "It is essential that you also inform Congress of the cause for the removal and your lack of confidence."
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment. This story will be updated with any response.
