President Donald Trump has reportedly discussed with aides whether to fire Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson for disloyalty.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Trump has been privately complaining about Atkinson after he reported to Congress the whistleblower complaint flagging Trump’s infamous July call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Atkinson’s decision to do so lay the groundwork for the House impeachment inquiry into Trump’s attempt to leverage military aid to pressure Ukraine into investigating his political opponents.
Trump, who appointed Atkinson to his post in 2017, reportedly saw the inspector general’s decision as an act of disloyalty. An unnamed source told the Times Trump has thus been weighing firing Atkinson in recent weeks.
