Pompeo defends firing of State Dept watchdog, says should have done it earlier

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media at the State Department in Washington, DC, U.S., May 20, 2020. Nicholas Kamm/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday defended his recommendation the State Department's inspector general be fired, saying he should have done it earlier, and rejected claims his decision was motivated by political retaliation.

However, Pompeo in a news conference declined to explain the rationale for the firing of Steve Linick, who congressional aides have said Linick was probing whether Pompeo misused a taxpayer-funded political appointee to perform personal tasks for himself and his wife, such as walking their dog.