WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has fired the independent inspector general for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), US media outlets reported on Wednesday.

Paul Martin`s dismissal came a day after his office issued a report critical of the Trump administration`s efforts to dismantle the agency, the Washington Post, CNNand others reported.

They cited a two-sentence email from the White House sent on Tuesday to Martin telling him his position was `terminated, effective immediately, but with no explanation of the reasons for the decision.

His office`s report had warned that more than $489 million in food assistance was at risk of spoilage or potential diversion after the Trump administration implemented an aid freeze and stop-work order.

The report said it had long `identified significant challenges and offered recommendations to improve Agency programming to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.`-AFP