A screengrab from the website of the U.S. Department of Defense on May 26, 2020, shows the photo and biography of Glenn Fine, who submits his resignation on Tuesday as the Pentagon's principal deputy inspector general. (Xinhua)
"The time has come for me to step down and allow others to perform this vital role," says Glenn Fine.
WASHINGTON, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Glenn Fine, the Pentagon's former top watchdog who President Donald Trump sidelined last month, submitted his resignation on Tuesday as the Pentagon's principal deputy inspector general.
"It has been an honor to serve in the inspector general community, both as the inspector general of the Department of Justice and the DoD (Department of Defense) acting inspector general and principal deputy inspector general performing the duties of the DoD inspector general," Fine said in a statement.
"The time has come for me to step down and allow others to perform this vital role," Fine said.
Trump named a new acting inspector general last month, and nominated someone to take on the job permanently. The move also kicked Fine off a panel of inspectors general tasked with overseeing the 2-trillion-U.S.-dollar coronavirus relief package. Fine was named to chair the panel, namely the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, one week before Trump's move.
The president has fired or replaced four other inspectors general in recent months, including State Department Inspector General Steve Linick.
Fine had been serving as the Pentagon's acting inspector general since 2016, after coming to the watchdog's office in 2015. He also served as the Justice Department's inspector general from 2000 to 2011, according to a report by The Hill. ■