Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigned Thursday evening, joining an exodus from President Trump’s inner circle.
DeVos said Trump’s rhetoric had reached an “inflection point,” fueling Wednesday’s violent Capitol Hill riots. Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as lawmakers convened to confirm the results of November’s presidential election, leaving at least five people dead.
Multiple news outlets reported DeVos’ abrupt resignation, including the Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press, CNBC and The Hill.
DeVos was the second Trump Cabinet member to turn in her resignation Thursday, following Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Chao also linked her decision to Wednesday’s rioting. The resignations came amidst speculation that Cabinet members were considering invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.
Other Trump administration officials have resigned since Wednesday’s siege.
DeVos, a Michigan billionaire, was nominated to the Cabinet in November 2016 and confirmed in February 2017, as Vice President Mike Pence broke a 50-50 deadlock to secure her nomination.
While DeVos stayed on in the White House through nearly the whole of Trump’s term, but her tenure was as polarizing as her confirmation process. An ardent school choice advocate, DeVos frequently clashed with traditional education groups and national teachers unions.
In that vein, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued a two-word statement Thursday night on DeVos’ departure: “Good riddance.”
