Steve A. Linick, the former State Department Inspector General fired by U.S. President Trump on Friday, was reportedly in the final phase of his investigation over the government's unlawful resumption of weapon sales to Saudi Arabia for their air war in Yemen.

According to reports, employees serving under the inspected general presented their initial findings to senior officials before the COVID-19 lockdowns in early March. It is unclear whether the report led to his dismissal.

President Trump gave a letter to the White House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he said he did not have the confidence in the inspector general's ability to serve. He did not indicate a reason for the loss of confidence.

During a Monday press conference, Trump claims he did not know and have never heard of Linick. He said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave him the recommendation to fire the inspector general.

The investigation was reportedly prompted by demands from New York Representative Eliot L. Engel who later alleges the investigation may have been "another reason" for ousting Linick.

The state inspector general's office was also examining Pompeo's use of government resources for his and his wife's travel across the Middle East. A whistleblower also accused the secretary of state of asking diplomatic security agents to run personal errands, including picking up meals from the restaurant and collecting the family dog from the groomer.

Several State Department officials also raised concerns about the Pompeos' elaborate and unpublicized "Madison Dinners" that, they claim, were using taxpayer resources to cultivate the state secretary's political ambitions. A list obtained by NBC News showed all of the 500 invitees were Republican and involved corporate and media giants, political figures, and foreign officials.

The inspector general's office is responsible for conducting multiple investigations into the State Department's activities. Experts say firing Linick before his work was complete was troubling.

In a phone interview with the Washington Post, Mike Pompeo claimed his private recommendation to fire the inspector was not a political retaliation. He said Linick's work was undermining the State Department, but he refused to describe specifics. Pompeo also claimed he was not aware that the ousted official was investigating allegations of selling arms and other complaints against him.

The administration undertook a major initiative to continue lethal aid to the Saudis and Emiratis despite a suspension imposed by the Congress after it was discovered that bomb fragments from the weapons sold were linked to a series of bombings that killed civilians and children.

Pompeo declared an emergency over Iran's activities in the Middle East to bypass the ban and restart the sales. The move intended to allow American businesses to sell $8.1 billion worth of weaponry to the gulf nations.

Since the Saudi Arabia-Yemen war began in 2015, more than 90,000 people have died. Saudi and allied warplanes have conducted 12 airstrikes a day. Only a third of the attacks targeted military bases. Most destroyed hospitals, schools, markets, farms, and other establishments, killing innocent civilians and children.

In September 2019, Amnesty International claimed a precision-guided bomb made in the USA was used by the Saudi Arabians to strike a residential home on June 28. The attack killed six civilians-three of whom were children.

"It is unfathomable and unconscionable that the USA continues to feed arms into Yemen's devastating conflict," the organization said. "The USA remains unmoved by the chaos their arms are wreaking on the civilian population."Want to read more? Check these out: