WASHINGTON — Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao resigned her post in President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday, one day after unprecedented riots fueled by supporters of the president overwhelmed the U.S. Capitol.
She is the first member of the Trump Cabinet to resign since the mob attack on Congress.
In a statement to staff, Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said her resignation would take effect Monday.
“Today, I am announcing my resignation as U.S. Secretary of Transportation,” she wrote. “We will help my announced successor, Pete Buttigieg, with taking on the responsibility of running this wonderful department.”
The 67-year-old Chao, who previously served as secretary of labor under President George W. Bush, was Trump’s only Transportation secretary during his first term. She specifically cited Wednesday’s turmoil as the reason for her departure, less than two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden is set to take office.
“Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the president stormed the capitol building following a rally he addressed. As I’m sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside,” she said.
“I am tremendously proud of the many accomplishments we were able to achieve together for our country and I will never forget the commitment you have for this department and the United States of America,” she continued. “I am hopeful that many of you will carry forward our vision to improve the lives of Americans through this department and beyond.”
Chao’s tenure at transportation was not without controversy.
Last year the House Oversight and Reform Committee investigated whether Chao used her position to help a New York-based shipping company owned by her father and sisters gain influence with the Chinese government.
Trump later removed the inspector general overseeing the investigation.
Before Wednesday’s chaos, McConnell delivered a speech on the Senate floor rejecting Trump’s claims of voter fraud. He declared “our democracy would enter a death spiral,” if elections were routinely challenged without substantial proof of fraud or wrongdoing.
