Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigned tonight, blaming Donald Trump for rhetoric that fueled the invasion of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters.
In a resignation letter, DeVos blamed Trump for inflaming tensions in the violent assault on the seat of the nation’s democracy.
She says, “There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me.”
The Michigan billionaire, education philanthropist and staunch supporter of school choice will be remembered as a Cabinet secretary who successfully delayed and dismantled Obama-era rules at all levels of education.
Her nomination to the Education Department’s top office in 2016 attracted more opposition than almost any other nominee and confrontations with public education advocates persisted throughout her term, especially during the coronavirus crisis, when she aggressively pushed for schools to reopen.
During a virtual meeting in December, DeVos reportedly told Department of Education staffers to “resist” the incoming Biden administration.
“Let me leave you with this plea: Resist,” DeVos said. “Be the resistance against forces that will derail you from doing what’s right for students. In everything you do, please put students first — always.”
DeVos is the second member of Trump’s cabinet to quit because of the riot Wednesday.
Earlier Thursday, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said she would resign.
Chao is the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who refused to endorse Trump’s efforts to have Congress block the confirmation of Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential vote in the Electoral College.
A number of other Trump administration officials have quit since Wednesday.
Trump’s former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and top European and Russian official on the National Security Council Ryan Tully were also among those who resigned today.
Others, including First lady Melania Trump’s chief of staff Stephanie Grisham, quit on Wednesday.