GOP senator slammed after urging Trump work around law to 'make president’s job easier'

One of many controversial executive orders that President Donald Trump issued after returning to the White House was his decision to fire more than a dozen inspectors general (IG). And he has also fired Paul Martin, who served as IG for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has a history of defending IGs, but he is also defending the firing of Martin — and drawing some strong criticism for it.

Politico's Josh Gerstein, in a February 12 post on X, reported that Grassley is "temper[ing] his longtime defense of inspectors general, saying USAID IG Paul Martin 'should have been fired' over fraud there. Urged Trump to use admin leave to work around law mandating 30-day notice. G: 'I'm just trying to make the president's job easier.'"

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The Washington Post's Aaron Blake, in response to Gerstein's tweet, posted, "As telling a moment as any."

On X, HuffPost's Igor Bobic described his interview with Grassley.

Bobic also posted, "Are you going to alert the president he's not following the law by firing IGs without notice? 'I just did, by talking to you,' Grassley tells me."

Bobic reported, "Grassley tells me the USAID IG Trump fired yesterday 'wasn’t doing his job.' 'I'd like to alert the president to the fact that he can abide by the law and still get rid of the people he wants to get rid of. He can put them on administrative leave for thirty days and send us a letter.'"

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Democratic activist Cynthia Busch, who formerly chaired the Broward County Democratic Party in Florida, is among Grassley's critics.

Busch tweeted, "Another disappointing moment for congressional oversight. Sen. Grassley's job is not to make the President's job easier by helping him 'work around the law.'"

X user Barbara Ann Stein called Grassley out as well on X, writing, " Grassley isn't up until 2029, and he's currently 91. He's given up his big issue because he's afraid of being primaried?

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