The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence panel, Virginia senator Mark Warner, said it was “unconscionable” that Mr Trump would fire Mr Atkinson in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We should all be deeply disturbed by ongoing attempts to politicise the nation’s intelligence agencies,” Mr Warner said.

House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, who led the House impeachment inquiry, said “the President’s dead of night decision puts our country and national security at even greater risk”.

via Donald Trump fires Inspector-General Michael Atkinson, who sparked US President’s impeachment – US Election 2020 – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)