If Trump and his supporters are concerned about government fraud, the Trump administration should reinstate the 17 independent inspectors general that Trump fired on January 25.

The U.S. Congress passed a law in 1978 to create inspectors general positions in government departments to essentially serve as independent watchdogs. Oversight.gov is a website which explains where to report waste, fraud, etc., and makes the CIGIE's reports easily accessible to the public. 

According to the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency's (CIGIE) Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023, the Federal Offices of Inspector General (OIGs) accomplished the following:

• Over 14,000 employees at 74 OIGs conducted audits, inspections, evaluations, and investigations. Together, their work resulted in significant improvements to the economy and efficiency of programs government-wide, with potential savings totaling approximately $93.1 billion;

• $82.2 billion from audit recommendations;

• $10.9 billion from investigative receivables and recoveries. With the OIG community’s aggregate FY 2023 budget of approximately $3.5 billion, these potential savings represent an approximate $26 return on every dollar invested in OIGs.

Don't believe Trump and Musk's lies about USAID and other government agencies; instead, be wary of the oligarchs in power and watchful of what they stand to gain financially from these unconstitutional orders and actions.

Lest we forget, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." (Preamble to the U.S. Constitution)   

Karin Lockwood lives in Rockport