Trump Removes Top Government Ethics Official

By now you have likely heard that President Trump removed the head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) from his post in one of many executive orders issued since he took office just three weeks ago. The agency’s director, David Huitema, was confirmed to the post by the Senate in November and officially began the job in December. He had been nominated by President Joe Biden but had languished for more than a year in the Senate before lawmakers confirmed him by a 50-46 vote during a post-election lame-duck session.

OGE is an independent agency that works to prevent conflicts of interest within the executive branch. The office would be deeply involved in helping resolve conflicts of interest for the new Trump administration’s procession of political appointees.

Huitema’s firing comes just days after Trump directed the removal of Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger, who had overseen the Office of Special Counsel since March 2024.

Dellinger is now suing Trump administration officials over his attempted removal. The Special Counsel position is typically a five-year term. Dellinger’s suit points to the law, which states the position can be terminated “only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”

Late Monday, the judge in the case issued an administrative stay allowing Dellinger to stay on the job through at least midnight on Thursday. The Justice Department said it would appeal that ruling.

Office of the Special Counsel

The Office of Special Counsel is an independent agency charged with protecting federal employee rights and safeguarding the merit system. It investigates allegations of prohibited personnel practices, including whistleblower retaliation. The office also upholds the Hatch Act’s prohibition on partisan political activities for federal employees.

Faith Williams, director of the Effective and Accountable Government Program at the Project on Government Oversight, said the move to dismiss Dellinger could make potential whistleblowers less likely to raise the flag over fraud, waste and abuse.

“It’s a total chilling effect,” Williams said.

Stephen Kohn, chair of the board of directors for the National Whistleblower Center, said the move to terminate Dellinger is “irresponsible and dangerous.”

“This action undermines a critical government program that has saved taxpayers billions of dollars and is designed to encourage reporting of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” Kohn said in a statement. “The Office of Special Counsel also maintains confidential lists of hundreds or thousands of federal employees who have blown the whistle on serious fraud, waste, and abuse. All of whom are now in immediate danger of being exposed.”

Office of Government Ethics

Former agency director, David Huitema, said he was unaware of any specific agency action that would have precipitated Trump’s decision. “My sense is that the president doesn’t want OGE or really anyone with an independent voice to address concerns that are raised,” he said. It was “disappointing,” the 53-year-old Huitema said.

Huitema said the OGE does not set policy. “Ours is an office that supports federal employees in complying with the law and avoiding missteps,” he said. “Ethics isn’t about what the government can or can’t do or should or shouldn’t do in terms of policy. It’s about individuals acting with integrity.”

Trump on Monday named Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins as the interim head of the ethics agency.

Why is Trump Taking Such Actions?

It appears this is part of a pattern where Trump is removing agency heads that served under former President Biden. President Trump has every right to do so. However, he owes the American public an explanation so we can evaluate his motivations. Is it an attempt to close down the OGE? Will another agency assume its responsibilities? Is Trump’s action motivated by watering down or completely eliminating oversight of his administration’s actions? How will potential conflicts of interest be managed?

The move to oust Huitema comes two weeks after Mr. Trump fired at least 17 inspectors general from their roles as watchdogs without explanation, and as Mr. Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency task force have upended multiple government agencies. 

"The primary mission of the executive branch ethics program is to prevent conflicts of interest on the part of executive branch employees, by working to ensure that they make impartial decisions based on the public interest, serve as good stewards of public resources, and loyally adhere to the Constitution and laws of the United States," OGE's mission statement reads. 

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington executive director Donald K. Sherman said that by "firing the head of the Office of Government Ethics, President Trump is continuing his purge of any independent officials tasked with holding him and his administration accountable to the law and ethical standards."

"This follows his firing of the head of the Office of Special Counsel and 17 inspectors general," Sherman said. "Together, these actions will streamline any efforts he and his administration make to personally profit, install loyalists and avoid oversight of corruption and waste. By all indications, Trump is planning to run a lawless administration, and these unprecedented moves are an alarming first step to put those plans into action."

This is an overstatement because, I believe, it is more of a payback for the business community that largely supported his election bid. Nevertheless, it does raise a red flag that those who disagree with Trump put their jobs in jeopardy.

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

GAO, often called the "congressional watchdog,” is an independent, non-partisan agency that works for Congress. GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, non-partisan, fact-based information to help the government save money and work more efficiently.

In 2024, the GAO identified about $67.5 billion in financial benefits for the federal government in fiscal year 2024—a return of approximately $76 for every dollar invested. GAO’s average return on investment for the past 6 years is $123 to $1. GAO also identified 1,232 other benefits that led to program and operational improvements across the government. If an oversight agency exists for Congressional actions, it makes sense that one should also exist for the President and his government officials.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.  Employees were left wondering what this means for them after receiving a notice from Russ Vought, recently appointed director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, on February 11 saying: “Good morning CFPB staff, As you have been informed by the Chief Operating Officer in an email yesterday, the Bureau’s DC headquarters building is closed this week,” he wrote. “Employees should not come into the office… Please do not perform any work tasks.” Just imagine if you received such a notice. If it were me, I would wonder whether I had any job to return to and whether I should start sending out my resume. It is unfair to workers, most of whom, undoubtedly, are hard working, ethical employees.

There is also concern that Trump might water down regulatory agencies like the SEC, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) that oversees the audits of accounting firms with public company clients. He might also seek to get rid of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that protects the public against fraud in public companies by requiring public companies to establish internal controls over financial reporting that serve as a device to eliminate potential material misstatements in the financial statements.

Yesterday President Trump directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pause prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). This is troubling to say the least. The FCPA oversees the actions of U.S. companies operating in foreign countries to serve as a control on the possible bribery of foreign government officials and agents in order to gain contracts.

During the first Trump Administration, the DOJ resolved approximately 30 corporate FCPA cases with associated monetary penalties totaling more than $14 billion. During the Biden Administration, the DOJ resolved 23 corporate FCPA cases with total penalties of more than $4 billion. Why would Trump want to get rid of such an effective agency?

Trump’s removal of the head of the OGE can have a chilling effect on would-be-whistleblowers who may take it as a signal that reporting wrongdoing might lead to retaliation against them. It is ironic that Trump touts the goal of identifying waste, fraud and abuse and then turns around and relieves the head of one of the agencies whose job it is to ferret out such activities.

Trump needs to explain to the American public just what the role, will be of these departments and agencies. I’d like to know how much money will be saved, based on past performance, and compare it to how much it cost to run these agencies. If there are problems and inefficiencies in the agency, fix them, but don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Posted by Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on February 12, 2025. You can sign up for his newsletter and learn more about his activities at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/.