Trump removes director of government ethics office

President Donald Trump has removed David Huitema as director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, the agency said Monday.

The independent agency, which works to prevent financial conflicts of interest in the executive branch, said it is reverting to an acting director.

Huitema was nominated by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in a 50-46 vote on Nov. 14 to serve a five-year term.

The current acting director is Shelley Finlayson, according to OGE's website.

In a statement after being sworn in in mid-December, Huitema looked ahead to helping Trump's nominees ensure that they can start working "free from the obstacles caused by potential conflicts of interest, which could prevent them from being effective in their jobs."

Huitema's statement also stressed the importance of being "both thorough and as efficient as possible."

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on Huitema's removal.

The Oversight Project, an American University student publication researching the oversight community, noted in a 2024 blog post that the OGE director lacks the "procedural or substantive protections" that are afforded to other officials, such as inspectors general.