USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong was escorted from her office after refusing to comply with her firing by the Trump administration.

Fong, a 22-year veteran, argued the termination violated federal law.

The White House defended the firings of 17 inspectors general, calling them necessary to replace “rogue, partisan bureaucrats.”

Fong’s office has investigated food safety, animal welfare, and Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Reuters has reported.

Critics, including Senator Mazie Hirono, condemned the move, accusing Trump of prioritizing loyalty over governance amid rising grocery prices and a worsening bird flu outbreak.

Written by B.C. Begley