Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked President Donald Trump to fire State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Pompeo told the Post he had made the request because Linicks work was undermining the departments mission. He also claimed he did not know beforehand that Linick was investigating him.

The president fired Linick last week. The IG was reportedly investigating why Pompeo fast-tracked more than $8 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia and its allies, as well as whether Pompeo made a staffer run personal errands for him.

Trump confirmed in remarks to reporters at a restaurant industry roundtable on Monday that Pompeo asked him to fire the inspector general, adding: I dont know him at all. I never even heard of him. Trump then said Pompeo should have fired Linick a long time ago, since hes an Obama appointment, and he had some difficulty.