President Donald Trump's abrupt firing of the State Department's top watchdog in May was likely motivated in part by a review into alleged misconduct by the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson IV, a longtime friend of the president, sources told the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). The inspection report, which went to the London embassy for comment in late April, about two weeks before then-Inspector General Steve Linick's firing, has been sitting on the desk of his replacement--who unexpectedly announced Wednesday that he would be leaving his post Friday.

The inspector general review, first reported by CNN, raises new questions about Trump's sudden dismissal of Linick, one of several in the inspector general community of watchdogs who were removed while undertaking politically sensitive probes. They may also deepen skepticism of the shifting explanations Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has provided in recent congressional testimony about why Linick was fired.

According to POGO's sources, the watchdog's report into the allegations is complete and has for weeks been awaiting final approval by the acting inspector general, Ambassador Stephen Akard.

Steve Linick is one of several in the inspector general community of watchdogs who were removed while undertaking politically sensitive probes.

The State Department's Office of Inspector General examined allegations by U.S. diplomatic staff that Johnson, an owner of the New York Jets NFL team and an heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune, has made racist and sexist remarks in violation of anti-discrimination laws and rules.

According to a POGO source with knowledge of the operations of the London embassy, "Ambassador Johnson was concerned that if the report were published, it would be damaging to his reputation." The ambassador was concerned enough "that if he couldn't block it [the inspection report] he would need to rebut it," the source told POGO.

"The fact that Ambassador Johnson is given to sexist, inappropriate comments about women, and their appearance, is very widely known in the embassy, because his comments were on a weekly, if not daily basis," the source said. Johnson's racist comments were less frequent, but no less damaging. "They are more than just racially insensitive, they're also offensive," the source said.