Trump removes independent watchdog tasked with overseeing coronavirus emergency funds

President Donald Trump has sidelined the acting Inspector General for the Defense Department, Glenn Fine, and removed him as chair of the newly created Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, which is tasked with overseeing $2 trillion in emergency coronavirus funding.

Posted 4:58 p.m. Apr 7, 2020 — Updated 4:58 p.m. Apr 7, 2020

Zachary Cohen

, CNN

CNN — President Donald Trump has sidelined the acting Inspector General for the Defense Department, Glenn Fine, and removed him as chair of the newly created Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, which is tasked with overseeing $2 trillion in emergency coronavirus funding.

Late last month, a group of independent federal watchdogs tapped Fine, a career official, to lead the group tasked with preventing "waste, fraud, and abuse" in the use of coronavirus relief money but he can no longer serve as chair of the committee after being removed as acting inspector general for the defense department.

A Defense Department spokeswoman did not explain why Fine was removed from the acting inspector general position, but she did explain that it meant he was no longer eligible to stay on the accountability committee, which is limited to inspector generals and acting inspector generals.

"The DoD OIG is still part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee," spokesperson Dwrena K. Allen told CNN, using the acronym for the defense department and the inspector general position. "Mr. Fine is no longer serving as the Chair because he is no longer serving in an acting IG capacity."

"Glenn Fine reverts to his position as the Principal Deputy Inspector General. He remains focused and committed to the important mission of the DoD OIG," Allen added.

This story is breaking and will be updated

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