The fallout from Wednesday’s pro-Trump riot on Capitol Hill continued into Thursday night as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigned.
The Wall Street Journal and Associated Press first reported the news.
DeVos joined Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in leaving the cabinet. Chao and DeVos were among just a handful of senior officials who remained in their post for nearly the entire four-year term of Trump’s administration. DeVos took office on Feb. 7, 2017.
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."
DeVos’ resignation comes amid a push by Congressional Democrats for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25thamendment to push Trump out of office ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Reports have indicated, however, that Pence is not in favor of enacting the 25th Amendment. In order to enact the 25th Amendment, a majority of cabinet members would have to join Pence to start the process.
