The Donald Trump administration in the United States (US) on Friday (January 24) fired 17 independent inspector generals of many federal agencies in a late-night purge, American media reported.

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Speaking to The Washington Post, people familiar with the developments said that the independent inspector generals were notified by emails from the White House personnel director that they had been terminated immediately. 

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Some of the agencies involved in this firing were the Department of Defense, Transportation, Veteran Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior and Energy.

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Most of the officials fired were from Trump 1.0

The Washington Post report said that most of the independent inspector generals who were fired were a part of the first Trump administration. 

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The report pointed out that Friday's late-night purge could clear the way for President Trump to install loyalists in the role of identifying fraud, waste, and abuse in his government.

'A widespread massacre'

Speaking to the American publication, one of the fired inspector generals said that the layoff was a "widespread massacre."

“Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system,the former official said.

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Another fired inspector general said that Trump 2.0 did not want anyone in this role to be independent. 

“IGs (inspector generals) have done exactly what the president says he wants: to fight fraud waste and abuse and make the government more effective,the second former official said. 

(With inputs from agencies)