Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has fired the State Department's inspector general, an Obama administration appointee whose office was critical of alleged political bias in the agency's management.
The ouster is the latest in a series of moves against independent executive branch watchdogs who have found fault with the Trump administration. A senior department official says Pompeo removed Steve Linick from his job Friday but gave no reason for his removal.
Linick had served in the job since 2013. His office had issued several reports critical of the department's handling of personnel matters, including accusing some of President Donald Trump's appointees of retaliating against career officials.