- The termination was noted in a letter to congressional officials and said the State Department inspector general would be released in 30 days.
- Steve Linick was appointed by former President Obama in 2013.
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also condemned Linick’s ouster, saying he had been “punished for honorably performing his duty to protect the Constitution and our national security.”
- Rep. Eliot Engel noted the Office of the Inspector General had opened an investigation into Secretary Mike Pompeo to see if he misused a political appointee.
- Linick will replaced by Stephen Akard, a former career foreign service officer who has close ties to Vice President Mike Pence.