PRESIDENT Donald Trump's special envoy to Northern Ireland Mick Mulvaney has resigned.
The former chief of staff is the latest person to step down from the White House following Capitol chaos on Wednesday.
Read our US Politics live blog for the latest news as the US Capitol building is put into lockdown
"I called [Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo last night to let him know I was resigning from that. I can’t do it. I can’t stay," he told CNBC on Thursday.
“Those who choose to stay, and I have talked with some of them, are choosing to stay because they’re worried the president might put someone worse in,” Mulvaney added.
Following the riots in Washington DC last night, a wave of key White House staff stepped down, with more resignations rumored to come.
Stephanie Grisham, the current chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump, submitted her resignation Wednesday afternoon, effective immediately, according to a White House official.
White House social secretary Anna Cristina "Rickie" Niceta also resigned Wednesday effective immediately, a White House official told CNN.
White House press aide Sarah Matthews has also called it quits in response to today's events.
Trump also appeared to admit defeat as he promised an "orderly transition" of power after Joe Biden was officially declared the president-elect.
After lawmakers were allowed back into the building, a joint session of Congress reconvened and an electoral college count of 306 for Biden and 232 for Trump was certified.
A statement was then released from the White House in which the president pledged an "orderly transition" on January 20.
“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th,” it read.
“I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted.
“While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”
A person familiar with the matter told CNN that Trump's statement was "designed in part to stanch a wave of resignations from the West Wing and broader administration," according to reporter Kevin Liptak.
Source: Read Full Article
