Fired government watchdog: 'So, Friday night I got an email'

Mark Greenblatt, a former inspector general of the Department of the Interior, described the moment he learned he had been fired in an interview on Monday.

“So, Friday night I got an email on my work phone, and I checked it,” Greenblatt told CNN’s Kasie Hunt. “And on there was, it said White House notification. And I knew that can’t be good.”

Greenblatt recalled how, in President Trump’s first administration, two inspectors general were fired and that the news came on a Friday night. He recalled those as “Friday-night massacres, at that time.”

“So those were Friday night, you know, Friday-night massacres, at that time,” he said. “And so to get an email from the White House, saying White House notification on a Friday night at 7:30, I knew that couldn’t be good.”

“And so, I opened it up and there was a two-sentence email from the director of presidential personnel that said, in light of changing priorities, you are, you know, terminated from your position at the, you know, Department of the Interior effective immediately, and thank you for your service,” Greenblatt continued.

Greenblatt, who was initially named to the position by Trump in 2019, was one of a number of inspectors general ousted within government agencies late Friday.

The ousted watchdogs came from the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development , Department of Veterans Affairs and other entities.

Greenblatt said he has not had a chance to clean out his office and is unsure when he’ll have a chance to return.

“No, actually,” he said when asked about his office. “My email has been cut off and I don’t know what’s going to happen with my — with my things. I was there for five-and-a-half years. And so, we’ll see.”

Greenblatt said he does not know why he was removed. He said, as far as he knows, all inspectors general received similar emails citing “changing priorities” as the basis for their termination.

“No, I don’t know,” he said. “And all that was stated was the changing priorities, in that email, which I understand the other IGs who were removed, the 17 or 18 of us were still sifting through the rubble, frankly, to find out how many IGs were removed. But as far as I know, all of us got essentially the same email that said changing priorities.”

Topics

OPM sued over privacy concerns with new government-wide email system

Two federal employees are suing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to block the agency from creating a new email distribution system — an action that comes as the information will reportedly ...
The Hill - 1d
Raiders owner Mark Davis says Jon Gruden got 'his head chopped off' amid 2021 email scandal

Gruden resigned after insensitive emails were leaked
CBS Sports - 1d
Trump firing government watchdogs is ‘clear violation of law’, says Adam Schiff

US senator adds to chorus of criticism of president, who fired inspectors at departments including state and defense. Donald Trump ’s firing of more than a dozen independent federal government ...
The Guardian - 2d
Trump fires at least a dozen government watchdogs

Democrats described Trump's late-night firing of the federal agency inspectors general as an 'attack on Democracy'.
BBC News - 4d
Trump fires 17 independent watchdogs at US government agencies

Inspectors general at state, defense and transportation departments removed in apparent violation of federal law. Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at multiple US government agencies on ...
The Guardian - 4d
Trump administration confuses government workers with email test message

The administration tested its ability to send communications to all 2.3 million federal employees from a single email address.
CBS News - 5d
'I had anti-government views so they treated me for schizophrenia'

Student among dozens who challenged China’s authorities to have been sent to psychiatric units, BBC finds.
BBC News - Jan. 23
UK competition watchdog chair ousted by government

Marcus Bokkerink is leaving as the government signals it is serious about growth, the BBC understands.
BBC News - Jan. 21
California fires weather forecast: Red flag warning to end Friday night

Strong Santa Ana winds are hitting fire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday morning, but the winds will relax later in the day and the red flag warning will end Friday night.
ABC News - Jan. 10

More from The Hill

Hegseth touts Guantánamo Bay as 'perfect spot' to house migrants

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Guantánamo Bay is the “perfect spot” to house deported migrants, after President Trump signed a memo Wednesday ordering a facility there be prepared for that ...
The Hill - 2h
Trump's hero's welcome

Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy The Big Story Dockworkers union chief credits Trump for deal The head of the dockworkers union ...
The Hill - Jan. 9
Newsom hits back at Trump wildfire comments, says Biden did not 'play politics'

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Wednesday went after President-elect Trump for recent comments he made about ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area. “People are literally fleeing,” Newsom ...
The Hill - Jan. 9
Vance lauds Trump’s second term approach: ‘All gas, no brakes’

Vice President Vance praised President Trump’s approach to his second term, touting the quick and broad actions of the new administration as well as the stamina of the president compared to his ...
The Hill - 2h
House passes International Criminal Court sanctions bill over Israeli arrest warrants

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story House passes bill to sanction ICC over Israeli arrest warrants The ...
The Hill - Jan. 9