Two top White House officials resign after Capitol violence, more on the way -sources

By Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham listens to U.S. President Donald Trump talk to reporters as he departs for travel to Georgia from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 8, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two top aides to first lady Melania Trump resigned on Wednesday in the wake of violence on Capitol Hill, and more top White House officials were considering resigning, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien and his deputy, Matthew Pottinger, sources familiar with the matter said.

 

Stephanie Grisham resigned as chief of staff to the first lady after supporters of President Donald Trump violently occupied the U.S. Capitol in an effort to block Congress from certifying the presidential election results.

 

"It has been an honor to serve the country in the White House. I am very proud to have been a part of Mrs. Trump’s mission to help children everywhere, and proud of the many accomplishments of this administration," Grisham said in a statement.

 

Grisham, who spent a year as White House press secretary before becoming chief of staff to the first lady, did not say whether her resignation was in reaction to the violence in the nation's capital, but a source familiar with her decision said the violence was the last straw for her.

 

The White House social secretary, Rickie Niceta, also resigned, as did a deputy White House press secretary, Sarah Matthews, two sources told Reuters.

 

O'Brien was also considering resigning, as was Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser who has been a key voice on China policy within the administration, two sources said.

 

"I just spoke with Vice President Pence," O'Brien said in a statement earlier Wednesday, adding, "I am proud to serve with him."

 

There was also chatter inside the White House that deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell might resign, a source said.

The White House declined to comment.

 

Multiple injuries were reported and one woman was killed in the melee at the Capitol, as Trump supporters responded to the president's call to protest his loss in November's presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly and baselessly claimed the election was marred by fraudulent voting.

 

Biden will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-07

 

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too little, too late.

Those that trump didnt fire should go down with the ship. Too late now to pretend to be human.

1 hour ago, 1Gringo said:

too little, too late.

Yep, they loved the glory of working with him, now they are too cowardly to drown with Titanic Trump.

I have sometimes wondered how Trump has managed to cajole or charm people into working for him, perhaps it is the cachet of being in the halls of power, or being able to say one works in the White House on the cocktail circuit. Be that as it may, the turnover since 2016, and the latest events, indicate the ones that are not fired eventually reach a point where they can no longer

stomach him.

24 minutes ago, newatthis said:

Yep, they loved the glory of working with him, now they are too cowardly to drown with Titanic Trump.

No news of Kayleigh McEnany resigning.

 

She's probably not concerned, tomorrow she'll be sprouting more lies re todays' sad events.

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39 minutes ago, scorecard said:

No news of Kayleigh McEnany resigning.

 

She's probably not concerned, tomorrow she'll be sprouting more lies re todays' sad events.

And after the 20th she'll go back to Fox, or more likely one of the even more right wing outlets. And I wouldn't exclude the possibility she's one of the people who will help Trump with his own outlet.

Hopefully Trump will not resign ... and get a pardon from VP Pence. 

Anyone who agreed to work for Trump scores no points by resigning.

Pence and cabinet need to "resign" Trump and refuse to grant him a pardon. Trump needs to be held accountable for this despicable act of domestic terrorism.

 

Sinking ship and rats, springs to mind.

 

Not to worry, they will all be gone come 20th January...Time to write your books now...

As if this will give them better job prospects or peace of mind.  All trump supporters are no friends of mine. Some have said they kept working because they thought they could best prevent catastrophe this way. 

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

No news of Kayleigh McEnany resigning.

 

She's probably not concerned, tomorrow she'll be sprouting more lies re todays' sad events.

That woman lies just as much as her boss. I wonder if they sit across from each other and practice their lies?

Honestly, no WAY would I stay in a place that no longer has proper security and a bunch of p!ssed off MAGA hat wearing guys with long arms and bad attitudes breaking in.

13 minutes ago, J Town said:

Honestly, no WAY would I stay in a place that no longer has proper security and a bunch of p!ssed off MAGA hat wearing guys with long arms and bad attitudes breaking in.

Long arms? Is that PC speak for knuckle-draggers?

5 hours ago, Sujo said:

Those that trump didnt fire should go down with the ship. Too late now to pretend to be human.

I think you spelled 'ship' wrong...

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

No news of Kayleigh McEnany resigning.

 

She's probably not concerned, tomorrow she'll be sprouting more lies re todays' sad events.

Where could she go ? 
She is already on another planet 

15 minutes ago, Swimfan said:

Where could she go ? 
She is already on another planet 

OAN.

To late to resign the mad captan insists all rats must drown as there is only room for one in the life boat 

This is how Trump will be remembered!  Fortunately his Hitlerian putsch failed.

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Two top White House officials resign after Capitol violence, more on the way -sources

By Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham listens to U.S. President Donald Trump talk to reporters as he departs for travel to Georgia from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., November 8, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two top aides to first lady Melania Trump resigned on Wednesday in the wake of violence on Capitol Hill, and more top White House officials were considering resigning, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien and his deputy, Matthew Pottinger, sources familiar with the matter said.

 

Stephanie Grisham resigned as chief of staff to the first lady after supporters of President Donald Trump violently occupied the U.S. Capitol in an effort to block Congress from certifying the presidential election results.

 

"It has been an honor to serve the country in the White House. I am very proud to have been a part of Mrs. Trump’s mission to help children everywhere, and proud of the many accomplishments of this administration," Grisham said in a statement.

 

Grisham, who spent a year as White House press secretary before becoming chief of staff to the first lady, did not say whether her resignation was in reaction to the violence in the nation's capital, but a source familiar with her decision said the violence was the last straw for her.

 

The White House social secretary, Rickie Niceta, also resigned, as did a deputy White House press secretary, Sarah Matthews, two sources told Reuters.

 

O'Brien was also considering resigning, as was Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser who has been a key voice on China policy within the administration, two sources said.

 

"I just spoke with Vice President Pence," O'Brien said in a statement earlier Wednesday, adding, "I am proud to serve with him."

 

There was also chatter inside the White House that deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell might resign, a source said.

The White House declined to comment.

 

Multiple injuries were reported and one woman was killed in the melee at the Capitol, as Trump supporters responded to the president's call to protest his loss in November's presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly and baselessly claimed the election was marred by fraudulent voting.

 

Biden will be inaugurated on Jan. 20.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-07

 

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Big deal, they were on the exit ramp anyway!

I was watching Pence announce winner of elections last night... And the way he read and presented results, made him look so mature and presidential, compared to his boss... even when he read his own name out, and confirmed he lost, he sounded just as you'd expect from a professional narrator.

 

Now I am trying to imagine Donald reading that... and interrupting for a rant every few seconds... Has Trump really dropped our expectations so low?

Virtue signaling.

 

Basically, they're giving their 2 weeks' notice before they're out on their ear anyway.

 

1 hour ago, mlmcleod said:

This is how Trump will be remembered!  Fortunately his Hitlerian putsch failed.

 

He has cemented his place as the worst American president ever. He already had that honor in the bag, but this wipes out all the competition. Yes, folks, he intentionally incited this. Anyone that doesn't get that hasn't been paying attention. Also, he's not done yet. As I've been saying for years now, he always gets worse. There is always a new low. What's next?

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Two top White House officials resign after Capitol violence

the ship is sinking and the rats are fleeing

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Long arms? Is that PC speak for knuckle-draggers?

Rifles.

10 hours ago, J Town said:

14 hours ago, scorecard said:

No news of Kayleigh McEnany resigning.

 

She's probably not concerned, tomorrow she'll be sprouting more lies re todays' sad events.

That woman lies just as much as her boss. I wonder if they sit across from each other and practice their lies?

5555....I don't think those 2 need to practice much.  Lying comes naturally to them, almost like breathing. 

13 hours ago, Caldera said:

Pence and cabinet need to "resign" Trump and refuse to grant him a pardon. Trump needs to be held accountable for this despicable act of domestic terrorism.

 

That would be fantastic.  Trump resigns, Pence follows minutes later, and Pelosi becomes POTUS.

Mad Betty the Ed Sec has now resigned. If Trump is too nuts for her that's saying something