Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Permit Firing of Office of Special Counsel Chief

Special counsel Hampton Dellinger argues he may be fired only for misconduct. He says his termination letter cited no reason for the firing.

The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Feb. 10, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 16 to allow it to fire the head of an agency that protects whistleblowers after lower courts said it could not.

Special counsel Hampton Dellinger, who heads the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, argues that he may be terminated only for misconduct during his fixed-term appointment. Dellinger said a brief emailed notice he received on Feb. 7 informed him he was being fired and did not explain why. New administrations routinely fire government officials without providing a reason.