The pattern, named: loyalist replacements across independent agencies

Oversight posts across the Justice Department, the pardon office, inspector general offices, the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel were refilled with loyalists or with acting officials answerable to the White House. Trump's most recent inspector general nominees are more typical nonpartisan picks.

The removals recorded in this category (the inspectors general in PRG-02, the ethics office in PRG-03, the Special Counsel in PRG-04, the FEC in PRG-07, the CFPB in PRG-08 and the pardon office in PRG-10, with the FBI/DOJ and JAG purges in PRG-05 and PRG-06) were paired with replacements chosen for loyalty rather than independence. The clearest case is the pardon office: career Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer was removed in March 2025, shortly after refusing to recommend restoring Mel Gibson's gun rights, and the post went to Ed Martin, 'the first political appointee to ever hold this position,' who tweeted 'No MAGA left behind' after pardons of Trump supporters and donors. Emil Bove, Trump's former personal defense lawyer, ran the Adams dismissal as acting Deputy Attorney General (SUB-09) and was later confirmed 50-49 to a lifetime appellate judgeship.

After Trump removed Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger and fired the director of the Office of Government Ethics in early February 2025, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was made acting head of both offices. After firing 17 inspectors general, Trump installed former political appointees from the agencies being overseen, a co-author of Project 2025 and a Republican congressman in watchdog roles. The White House says the president 'is restoring integrity and transparency to our federal government'; Government Executive reported in May 2026 that his latest inspector general nominees, unlike most of those already confirmed, generally have inspector general experience.

This is a synthesis card: it adds no new event, but names the through-line connecting PRG-02, PRG-03, PRG-04, PRG-07, PRG-10 and SUB-09. The pattern converts the purge (a negative act of removal) into capture (a positive act of control): the offices still exist, but are staffed to protect rather than police.

Documented (synthesis, do not publish standalone)

Legal but conflicted

2025 (ongoing)