Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is resigning from her position within the Trump administration, saying the events of Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol have left her “deeply troubled.”
Chao issued a resignation statement on Thursday:
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It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the U.S. Department of Transportation. pic.twitter.com/rFxPsBoh6t
— Sec. Elaine Chao (@SecElaineChao) January 7, 2021
“As I am sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside,” reads the statement from Chao.
Chao assumed her position as U.S. Secretary of Transportation on Jan. 31, 2017, right at the beginning of President Donald Trump’s term.
Her resignation comes hours after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called on Trump’s Cabinet members to invoke the 25h Amendment and have him removed from office.
Chao is the first Cabinet member to resign in the wake of Wednesday’s violence.
Chao is married to Sen. Mitch McConnell, who refused to play along with Trump’s effort to overthrow the election results in the final weeks.