Glossary

Inspector general

An independent official inside a federal agency who audits and investigates its programs and reports waste, fraud and abuse to Congress.

Also called: IG, inspectors general, OIG

An inspector general (IG) is an official responsible for auditing and investigating the operations of a federal department or agency. The Inspector General Act of 1978 created the first offices, and there are now more than seventy across the government.

IGs are meant to be independent. They report both to the agency head and to Congress, issue semiannual reports and can recommend fixes. Most are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate; some, in smaller agencies, are appointed by the agency head. A 2008 law requires the president to notify Congress 30 days before removing an IG and give reasons, a requirement that presidents of both parties have criticized as an intrusion on executive power.

IG reports have exposed problems in areas from veterans' health care to the Justice Department's handling of surveillance. Supporters regard IGs as a key check on waste and misconduct. Critics argue that IGs can be partisan or slow, that agency leaders and Congress often ignore findings, and that independence from the president conflicts with the unitary executive theory. The 2020 dismissals of several IGs and a mass removal in 2025 renewed debate about checks and balances in the administrative state.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Separation of powers The constitutional division of government into legislative, executive and judicial branches, each with its own distinct powers. Congressional subpoena A legal order from a congressional committee compelling someone to testify or produce documents for an investigation. Administrative state A term for the federal agencies that make and enforce rules with binding effect, often seen as a fourth branch of government. Deep state A contested term for a supposed network of unelected officials in government who are said to shape or resist the policies of elected leaders. Checks and balances The constitutional design giving each branch of government ways to limit the others, so that no branch dominates.