In a sweeping move, President Donald Trump dismissed at least a dozen internal government watchdogs late Friday, according to reports from US media. This latest action marks a significant shake-up in the Republican leader's second term, coming less than a week after his return to office.

Independent inspectors general from at least 12 federal agencies were reportedly informed of their immediate termination through emails sent by the White House personnel director, as reported by The Washington Post. The dismissals, attributed to unnamed sources familiar with the actions, affect a broad range of agencies.

Inspectors general hold a critical oversight role in the government, tasked with detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse by federal employees. Their responsibilities include investigating violations of laws, regulations and ethical standards, as well as conducting audits related to contracts, finances, and staff performance.

Among the agencies impacted by these dismissals are the Departments of Defence, State, Interior, and Energy. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Social Security Administration were also included in the purge, as per the report.

The abrupt removal of these officials raises questions about the implications for accountability and oversight within the federal government.

"It's a widespread massacre," said one of the fired inspectors general, according to the Post. "Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system."

Most of the inspectors general dismissed in this sweeping action were originally appointed by President Trump during his first term, The Washington Post reported. According to The New York Times, citing three unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter, the total number of inspectors general removed reached 17. Notably, the Justice Department’s watchdog was reportedly not affected by the dismissals.

The abrupt firings have drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts described the move as "a purge... in the middle of the night," highlighting concerns about the erosion of independent oversight in federal agencies.

"Inspectors general are charged with rooting out government waste, fraud, abuse, and preventing misconduct," she said in a post on social media platform X. "President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption."

On his first full day back in office, President Donald Trump announced plans to remove approximately 1,000 perceived opponents from positions within the US government. The 78-year-old Republican wasted no time in initiating sweeping changes, issuing a series of executive actions aimed at overhauling key government policies.

These actions target areas such as immigration, citizenship, gender, diversity and climate change. However, many of these measures are already facing legal challenges in the courts, signalling potential battles ahead over their implementation.