Fires Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson

Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the Intelligence Community Inspector General who first alerted Congress to the whistleblower complaint about Trump's Ukraine call, triggering the impeachment inquiry. In a letter to Congress, Trump cited a lack of confidence but later admitted to reporters he fired Atkinson because "he took a fake report and he brought it to Congress," confirming the firing was retaliation for Atkinson doing his job.

"I thought he did a terrible job. Absolutely terrible... He took a fake report and he brought it to Congress." — Comments to reporters regarding Atkinson firing, April 4, 2020