{{Short description|American attorney}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Phyllis Fong |image = 09di1166 Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, Phyllis Fong (34029821671).jpg |office = Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture |president = George W. Bush<br/>Barack Obama<br/>Donald Trump<br/>Joe Biden<br/>Donald Trump |term_start = December 2, 2002 |term_end = January 24, 2025 |predecessor = Joyce Fleischman (Acting) |successor = John Walk |office1 = Inspector General of the Small Business Administration |president1 = Bill Clinton |term_start1 = April 6, 1999 |term_end1 = December 2, 2002 |predecessor1 = Karen Lee (Acting) |successor1 = Peter McClintock (Acting) |birth_date = |birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Paul Tellier |children = 2 |education = Pomona College (BA)<br>Vanderbilt University (JD) }} '''Phyllis Fong''' is an American attorney who served as the inspector general of the United States Department of Agriculture from 2002 until her removal in 2025. Fong was nominated to the position in 2002 by President George W. Bush.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Phyllis Fong {{!}} Video {{!}} C-SPAN.org |url=https://www.c-span.org/program/qa/phyllis-fong/321460 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=www.c-span.org |language=en-us}}</ref> She was removed from her position in 2025 by the Trump administration.
== Early life and education == Fong was born in Philadelphia and raised in Honolulu. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian studies from Pomona College and Juris Doctor from the Vanderbilt University Law School.
== Career == Fong began her career as a staff attorney for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She then served as assistant general counsel for the Legal Services Corporation and assistant inspector general for management and policy. After serving as assistant inspector general for management and legal counsel, Fong was nominated to serve as inspector general of the Small Business Administration in 1999. Fong was nominated to serve as inspector general of the United States Department of Agriculture in 2002 and was confirmed on December 2, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Phyllis K. Fong {{!}} Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency; IGnet|url=https://www.ignet.gov/content/phyllis-k-fong|access-date=2020-06-15|website=www.ignet.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/109075/witnesses/HHRG-116-AP01-Bio-FongP-20190312.pdf|title=Phyllis K. Fong Inspector General, U.S. Department of Agriculture}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mccrimmon |first=Ryan |date=February 12, 2020 |title=What USDA's watchdogs are watching |url=https://politi.co/3byTl9W |access-date=2020-06-15 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
In April 2020, Fong was appointed to serve as a member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Inspectors General Appointed to COVID-19 Response Oversight Committee – Homeland Security Today|date=2 April 2020 |url=https://www.hstoday.us/channels/federal-state-local/inspectors-general-appointed-to-covid-19-response-oversight-committee/|access-date=2020-06-27|language=en-US}}</ref>
On January 24, 2025, President Donald Trump dismissed Phyllis K. Fong along with several other inspectors general in what was described as a sweeping purge of independent oversight officials.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Messerly |first=Megan |date=January 25, 2025 |title=Trump fires independent inspectors general in Friday night purge |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/25/donald-trump-inspectors-general-firing-00200611 |work=POLITICO}}</ref> Fong, who had served as the United States Department of Agriculture's Inspector General since 2002, refused to step down, arguing that the Trump administration had not followed proper protocol.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Levy |first=Rachael |date=January 29, 2025 |title=USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after defying White House |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/usda-inspector-general-escorted-out-her-office-after-defying-white-house-2025-01-29/ |work=Reuters}}</ref> She was subsequently escorted out of her office by security personnel.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsweek.com/former-usda-inspector-general-defies-trump-order-escorted-her-office-2023069|title=Former USDA inspector general defies Trump order, escorted from her office|first1=Gabe|last1=Whisnant|first2=Jesus|last2=Mesa|date=January 29, 2025|work=Newsweek}}</ref>
The White House defended the firings, stating that "these rogue, partisan bureaucrats... have been relieved of their duties in order to make room for qualified individuals who will uphold the rule of law and protect Democracy."<ref>{{cite web | title=Exclusive: USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after defying White House | work=Reuters | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/usda-inspector-general-escorted-out-her-office-after-defying-white-house-2025-01-29/ }}</ref> The dismissals sparked criticism from oversight advocates and members of Congress, who viewed the move as an attempt to weaken government accountability.
== Personal life == Fong and her husband have two children. Her husband is also an attorney.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biography for Phyllis Fong |url=http://www.usda.gov/agencies/gallery/fong.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041214130314/http://www.usda.gov/agencies/gallery/fong.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2004 |website=U.S. Department of Agriculture |access-date=January 30, 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Phyllis Fong '78 and Paul Tellier '78|url=https://law.vanderbilt.edu/news/phyllis-fong-78-and-paul-tellier-78/|access-date=2020-06-15|website=Vanderbilt University|date=March 14, 2014 |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fong, Phyllis}} Category:American women lawyers Category:American lawyers Category:Living people Category:Lawyers from Honolulu Category:Lawyers from Philadelphia Category:Pomona College alumni Category:United States Department of Agriculture officials Category:United States Department of Agriculture people Category:United States inspectors general by name Category:Vanderbilt University Law School alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Inspectors General (IGs) dismissed by Donald Trump Category:Inspectors general removed or fired by Donald Trump