At least three cabinet members and several employees of the Trump administration announced they are leaving their posts in the wake of the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump supporters. Many have cited President Donald Trump's rhetoric or reaction to the violent protests in their decisions.
Below is a list of those who have announced they are resigning.
Elaine Chao
Chao was the Secretary of the Transportation Department, and was the first cabinet-level administration official to announce her resignation when she tweeted on Thursday. She is also the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
"Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed," she said. "As I'm sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside."
Chao said she and her team will help with the transition to the Biden administration. President-elect Joe Biden has announced Pete Buttigieg as his nominee for Transportation Secretary.
John Costello
Costello was Deputy Assistant Secreatry for Intelligence and Security at the Department of Commerce.
"Yesterday's events were an unprecedented attack on the very core of our democracy — incited by a sitting president. The president has long disregarded and diminished the rule of law and the constitution," he said in a statement posted to Twitter.
Betsy DeVos
DeVos was the second cabinet member to announce her resignation, she was the Education Secretary.
In a letter to President Donald Trump, she said Trump’s“rhetoric” was an “inflection point.”
"We should be highlighting and celebrating your administration's many accomplishments on behalf of the American people," DeVos wrote. "Instead, we are left to clean up the mess caused by violent protesters overrunning the US Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people's business. That behavior was unconscionable for our country. There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me."
Tyler Goodspeed
Goodspeed was the acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
"The events of yesterday made my position no longer tenable," he told Jim Tankersley with the New York Times.
Stephanie Grisham
Grisham was the Chief of Staff for First Lady Melania Trump. She also previously served as White House communications director and press secretary.
"I am very proud to have been a part of Mrs. Trump's mission to help children everywhere, and proud of the many accomplishments of this Administration," she said in a statement, according to NBC News.
Sarah Matthews
Matthews was White House Deputy Press Secretary.
"As someone who worked in the halls of Congress I was deeply disturbed by what I saw today," she said in a statement. "Our nation needs a peaceful transfer of power."
Mick Mulvaney
Mulvaney was currently a special envoy to Northern Ireland and former White House Chief of Staff.
"I called [Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo last night to let him know I was resigning from that. I can’t do it. I can’t stay,” Mulvaney told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday.
Mulvaney has served in the Trump administration for nearly the president’s entire term in various roles, including at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget.
Anna Cristina Niceta
Niceta was the White House social secretary, she resigned Wednesday according to ABC News.
Matt Pottinger
Pottinger was the deputy National Security Adviser. He reportedly saidhe was "dismayed" by the siege and "Trump's role in inciting violence."
Ryan Tully
Tully was senior directorfor European and Russian Affairs at the National Security Council.
Chad Wolf
Wolf was the acting Homeland Security Secretary, and was the third cabinet secretary to announce his departure. He announced his resignation on Monday, January 11 and that it would be effective later that night. After the violent riots at the Capitol, Wolf asked Trump and all elected officials to “strongly condemn the violence” that took place at the Capitol.
