- President Trump removes David Huitema as head of the Office of Government Ethics.
- Huitema says he was given no explanation for his sudden dismissal.
- Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins appointed as interim director.
President Donald Trump has dismissed the head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), marking another move against a government watchdog.
The agency confirmed on Monday that its director, David Huitema, had been removed from his position.
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Huitema, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, had only been in the role since December after a lengthy confirmation process.
He was confirmed by the Senate in November with a 50-46 vote following more than a year of delays. Traditionally, OGE directors serve five-year terms to maintain independence across administrations.
A statement on the agency’s website announced: “OGE has been notified that the President is removing David Huitema as the Director of OGE. OGE is reverting to an Acting Director.”
Huitema told CNN that he was informed of his dismissal via an email from the Presidential Personnel Office over the weekend. The message had been sent late Friday night.
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Expressing his disappointment, Huitema said he had received no explanation for his removal and speculated that Trump “doesn’t want OGE or really anyone with an independent voice to address concerns that are raised.”
In place of Huitema, Trump has appointed Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins as the interim head of the ethics agency.
