President Donald Trump has nominated Cheryl Mason, a senior advisor at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to serve as the agency’s next inspector general — a move that has drawn immediate criticism from congressional Democrats who question her independence due to her close ties to the administration.

Mason’s nomination was one of four inspector general candidates submitted by the White House this week.

These appointments aim to fill positions left vacant since late January, when President Trump abruptly removed over a dozen inspectors general without public explanation.

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Among those dismissed was Mike Missal, who had served as the VA Inspector General since 2016. Missal has since joined seven other former watchdogs in a lawsuit challenging the legality of those removals — a case that remains unresolved.

Mason’s professional history includes her tenure on the Board of Veterans Appeals from 2017 to 2022, where she made history as the first woman to serve as chair. The board plays a crucial role in reviewing veterans’ appeals of disability benefits decisions made by the VA, making it a significant judicial body within the department.

In addition to her service at the VA, Mason is deeply connected to the military community.

She is both the wife and daughter of military veterans and has been a vocal advocate for increasing employment opportunities for military spouses — a cause that has earned her respect in veteran circles.

However, her recent appointment by Trump as a senior advisor to the VA secretary and her ongoing role within the administration have sparked concern regarding her potential objectivity as inspector general.

The inspector general is expected to operate as an independent watchdog, auditing and investigating the department’s operations without political influence.

Democrats, led by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), were quick to criticize the nomination.

“A Trump political acolyte like Cheryl Mason is exactly the wrong choice to be the VA Inspector General, a role requiring nonpartisan, independent oversight,” Blumenthal said in a strongly worded statement.

“Veterans deserve an inspector general who will conduct investigations free of interference and collusion from [VA Secretary Doug] Collins and the Trump administration. Otherwise, we will be putting veterans at even greater risk of corruption and abuse of power.”

Critics also highlighted Mason’s participation in internal efforts to reduce the VA workforce, a controversial strategy that has met resistance from Democrats and several veterans advocacy groups.

Opponents argue that such cuts could jeopardize the quality of care and services provided to the nation’s veterans.

Despite the controversy, the Trump administration and its allies on Capitol Hill defended the nomination and emphasized the need to quickly fill the inspector general vacancy.

During a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday — held just hours before Mason’s nomination was announced — VA Secretary Doug Collins acknowledged the long-standing vacancy and signaled that the White House was preparing to act.

“From our perspective, we welcome the oversight to make sure that we’re meeting the metrics that we need to do to take care of veterans,” Collins told the committee.

Committee Chairman Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) echoed the urgency, stating that filling the post is “a high priority” for the panel.

However, the committee has not yet announced a timeline for Mason’s confirmation hearing, leaving the future of the nomination in question.

If confirmed, Mason would take the helm of one of the federal government’s largest oversight offices, with jurisdiction over more than 400,000 VA employees and a $300 billion budget.

Her ability to maintain impartiality and pursue oversight without bias will be closely scrutinized, particularly as the VA continues to navigate persistent challenges in healthcare access, benefits administration, and workforce management.

As the political battle over Mason’s nomination unfolds, the broader debate over the independence of federal watchdogs — and the Trump administration’s approach to oversight — remains front and center.

For veterans and their families, the outcome may shape not only the leadership of the inspector general’s office but also the integrity of the department tasked with serving them.