NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
Shortly after beginning his second term, President Trump fired more than a dozen inspectors general, the non-partisan watchdogs appointed to protect against abuses of power, waste and mismanagement across federal agencies. White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López discussed the impact with Glenn Fine, former inspector general for the Department of Justice.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Glenn Fine, and what is his background?
- What are inspector generals, and what is their role in government agencies?
- Where in the government do inspectors general work?
- How is President Trump's move to fire a large number of inspectors general at once unusual?
- Why have some in Congress, including some Republicans, pushed back on the firings?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
If inspectors general are not independent, how do you think the federal government should address "waste, fraud and abuse" in federal agencies?
Media literacy: Who else would you want to hear from to better understand the impact of these firings?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
What are some of the findings of previous inspectors general across Democratic and Republican administrations?
Use this news filter to choose two stories, one from the Democratic Biden administration (stories from 2021-2024) and one from the Republican Trump administration (stories from 2017 to 2020). What did the the stories have in common? Did they change your thinking about the independence of inspectors general? If so, how?
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