The acting secretary for the Homeland Security Department, Chad F. Wolf, resigned on Monday following the Capitol siege, which was targetted at stopping the Congressional certification of President-elect Joe Biden's win. He is the third Cabinet secretary to leave President Donald Trump's administration.
Wolf announced his decision to step down as the acting secretary of homeland security on Monday in a letter to employees, according to Fox News and NBC News' Chief White House Correspondent Peter Alexander. In his letter, Wolf said he planned to serve the Department until the end of the Trump administration but regrettably had to take this step.
Wolf's resignation makes him the third Cabinet secretary to leave the Trump administration in the wake of a deadly riot at the Capitol that the president fueled on Jan. 6. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and transportation secretary Elaine Chao also announced their resignation following the Capitol rebellion.
Last week, Wolf criticized the violence in a statement noting that they now see some Trump supporters who are willing to using violence to achieve political ends. Describing the violence as unethical, Wolf urged the president and all elected officials to condemn the violence that took place at the Capitol.
Wolf also confirmed that he would not leave the department until President-elect Joe Biden took office, noting that he will remain in his position until the end of the Trump administration. Wolf said he would focus on the threats facing the United States, as well as a seamless transition to Biden's DHS team.
After the statement was released, the White House said that the president had withdrawn Wolf's nomination to be the continuing Department of Homeland Security secretary. In addition to Wolf, a slew of other officials resigned following Wednesday's chaos including, Stephanie Grisham, who served as first lady Melania Trump's chief of staff, Business Insider reported.
Former national security officials urged senior administration officials, including Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and national security advisor Robert O'Brien, to not to resign. The former officials warned that their departures could put US national security in further jeopardy amid an already rough transition period.
Last week's protest at the Capitol claimed five lives, including a Capitol Police officer who protestors beat with a fire extinguisher as they broke into the Capitol. Several senior lawmakers and Pence were immediately evacuated, while other members of Congress and reporters hid behind barricades for safety.