U.S. education secretary resigns over Capitol riot – reports

U.S. Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, has resigned in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump after his supporters stormed the Capitol building.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported the development on Thursday, citing the resignation letter.

“That behaviour (violent riot) was unconscionable for our country.

“There is no mistaking the impact your (Trump) rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflexion point for me,’’ DeVos said in a letter to Trump, as quoted by the WSJ.

Earlier on Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao, has also resigned due to the Wednesday violence and described it as deeply-troubling.

Others, who have stepped down since Wednesday, include Stephanie Grisham, the former Chief of Staff to First Lady Melania Trump; Matt Pottinger, the Deputy National Security Adviser and Sarah Matthews, the Deputy White House Press Secretary.

Others are Anna Cristina “Rickie” Niceta, the Social Secretary at the White House; Ryan Tully, the National Security Council’s Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs and Tyler Goodspeed, the acting Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

And also John Costello, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intelligence and Security at the Commerce Department.

Thousands of Trump’s supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a bid to prevent Congress from certifying the election results.

Protesters attacked the Police with metal pipes and chemical irritants, damaged property, seized the inauguration stage and occupied the rotunda inside the Capitol building.

The attack came after Trump urged his supporters to keep fighting to overturn the election results.

On Thursday, Trump said that he is “outraged” by the violent riot at the Capitol and confirmed that he is working to ensure a smooth transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden and his administration.

Biden’s inauguration is scheduled for Jan. 20.