US Transportation Secretary Resigns, Citing Storming Of Capitol By Pro-Trump Crowd

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2021) US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced her resignation on Thursday, the latest Trump administration official to leave after citing fallout over the storming of the Capitol the previous day by supporters of President Donald Trump upset over the president's election loss.

"Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed," Chai said in a letter to her colleagues, also posted on Twitter.� "As I'm sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I cannot simply set aside. Today, I am announcing my resignation as US Secretary of Transportation, to take effect on Monday, January 11."

Earlier in the day, Mick Mulvaney, President Donald Trump's former chief of staff, told CNBC that he has resigned as special US envoy to Northern Ireland.

Others who have stepped down since Wednesday include Stephanie Grisham, former chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump; Matt Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser; Sarah Matthews, deputy White House press secretary; Anna Cristina "Rickie" Niceta, social secretary at the White House; Ryan Tully, the National Security Council's senior director for European and Russian Affairs; Tyler Goodspeed, acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers; and John Costello, deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and security at the Commerce Department.

Trump's supporters broke into Congress on Wednesday to protest the verification of the Electoral College votes for Democrat Joe Biden, who defeated the Republican president in November's election. The mob engaged with police in a stand-off that lasted several hours and left at least four people dead, including a female Air-Force veteran, who was shot inside the Congress hall by a police officer.

Trump's term officially ends on January 20, with Biden's inauguration.