The Donald Trump presidential voyage has maneuvered through choppy waters for the last four years, but it has finally capsized, and it looks like some of his crew is abandoning ship as fast as possible.
On Thursday morning, Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s former acting White House chief of staff, resigned from his post as U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland. He also predicted that more resignations would come in the next two weeks leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
“I called [Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo last night to let him know, to tell him that I would be resigning from that,” Mulvaney told CNBC. “I just, I can’t do it. I can’t stay.”
Mulvaney’s decision comes after Trump’s dangerous rhetoric inflamed his supporters to go to the U.S. Capitol where Congress was certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. Things quickly got out of hand when the pro-Trump group ascended onto the Capitol and then forced their way into the building where lawmakers were counting votes.
“We didn’t sign up for what you saw last night,” Mulvaney said. “The president has a long list of successes that we can be proud of. But all of that went away yesterday. That legacy is gone as of yesterday and that’s extraordinarily disappointing to those of us who work for him.”
Below is a running list of the White House officials who have resigned since Jan. 6. We will continue to update you over the next two weeks.
Mick Mulvaney
Trump’s former acting White House chief of staff, resigned from his post as U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland Jan. 6. “I called [Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo last night to let him know, to tell him that I would be resigning from that,” he told CNBC. “I just, I can’t do it. I can’t stay.”
Matthew Pottinger
President Trump’s deputy national security adviser resigned on Jan. 6.
Stephanie Grisham
The chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump resigned on Jan. 6. Along with her role with the first lady, which included serving as communication director, Grisham was the White House press secretary from July 2019 to April 2020.
Sarah Matthews
Trump’s White House deputy press secretary resigned from her post Jan. 6. “As someone who worked in the halls of Congress, I was deeply disturbed by what I saw today,” Matthews said in a statement, which was reported by Fox News.
Elaine Chao
On Jan. 7, the Transportation Secretary became the first Trump Cabinet member to resign over the attack on the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump supporters. Chao is the wife of Senator Mitch McConnell.
John Costello
U.S. Navy veteran and former Capitol Hill official resigned from his post as deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and security at the Department of Commerce on Jan. 7.