Donald Trump’s DOJ has fired more than a dozen key officials on former special counsel Jack Smith’s team. MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports. (The Beat's YouTube playlist: Ari: / arimelber Beat merch:

In a late-night Friday move, President Donald Trump fired at least 17 independent watchdogs -- known as inspectors general -- at multiple federal agencies, sources familiar with the move told ABC News.

Lawmakers in both parties expressed concern that the White House might have circumvented federal rules in dismissing government watchdogs.

The White House defied a law that requires giving Congress 30 days’ notice and detailed reasons before removing the watchdog officials.

President Donald Trump fired the inspectors general from more than a dozen federal agencies in a Friday night purge, according to a Trump administration official, paving the way for him to install his own picks for the independent watchdog roles.

"The American people, if we don't have good and independent inspector generals, are going to see the swamp refill," Schiff said.

Several key U.S. Senate Republicans on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to fire independent government watchdogs across at least 17 federal agencies, even though the move ran afoul of federal law.

The Trump administration purged at least a dozen federal inspectors general overnight Friday, multiple sources confirmed to CBS News. It is an unprecedented move that will likely result in legal challenges.