US House Panel Chief Says Trump Fired State Dept. Watchdog Over Probe Of Saudi Arms Deal

US House Panel Chief Says Trump Fired State Dept. Watchdog Over Probe of Saudi Arms Deal

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel on Monday said the Trump administration fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick for investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's fast-tracking of a arms deal with Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2020) House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel on Monday said the Trump administration fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick for investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's fast-tracking of a arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump on Friday informed Congress he was firing Linick. Reports surfaced over the weekend that he did so because Linick had been probing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for having staff run personal errands.

"I have learned that there may be another reason for Mr. Linick's firing. His office was investigating - at my request - Trump's phony declaration of an emergency so he could send weapons to Saudi Arabia. We don't have the full picture yet, but it's troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed," Engel said in a statement quoted by CNN.

Last summer, Pompeo waived the congressional review process to fast-track $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.