Senate Confirms Health Care Watchdog Assailed by Trump

The Senate has confirmed a federal watchdog assailed by former President Donald Trump to the top job battling fraud, waste and abuse at the $1.6 trillion Department of Health and Human Services, which has a portfolio that spans health, social services and even the care of migrant children.

No Republicans objected to confirming Christi A. Grimm, a longtime civil servant, to be HHS inspector general. Her division includes some 1,600 auditors, law enforcement agents, and management experts, and is known for its annual health care fraud takedowns. The voice vote came Thursday evening.

Only two years ago, Trump lashed out at Grimm from the White House briefing room after her office released a survey that highlighted the struggles of hospitals in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a shortage of tests at the time.

“It is wrong,” Trump said.

The report was compiled by federal auditors, but Trump insinuated it was politically motivated. The former president had a rocky relationship with inspectors general throughout the government and Grimm at that time was the de facto head of the HHS office, which was lacking a Senate-confirmed leader. She started her government career in 1999, serving both Republican and Democratic administrations.

“So, give me the name of the inspector general?” Trump asked a reporter at the briefing.

When told that Grimm had served in the Obama administration, Trump responded: “Thank you for telling me that. ... There’s a typical fake news deal.”

Though inspectors general are presidential appointees, they can serve extended terms under presidents of both parties. They are expected to be nonpartisan independent investigators, shedding light on deficiencies in their agencies. Trump moved to replace Grimm, but his candidate did not advance in the Senate. Meanwhile, Grimm hunkered down and continued running the inspector general's office.

Last summer, President Joe Biden nominated Grimm to be inspector general. At her confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Grimm, who is 46, described herself as a “career public servant who rose through the ranks.”