Betsy DeVos resigns from Trump cabinet after Capitol riot in Washington, DC

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos tendered her resignation Thursday, becoming the second member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet to resign following a riot by her supporters on the U.S. Capitol.

In a letter to Trump, she blamed the chaos in Washington at the feet of the president, who cheered on the crowds before heading to Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon as both Houses of Congress prepared to certify Joe’s victory. Biden at the Electoral College. .

“There is no doubt about the impact of your rhetoric on the situation, and this is the inflection point for me,” she wrote. “Impressionable kids watch all of this and learn from us.

DeVos, 62, is among several Trump administration officials to resign in the wake of the rampage, including Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who also resigned Thursday.

DeVos, had been one of Trump’s strongest supporters and, along with Chao, one of the longest-serving members of his administration. But she recently distanced herself from the president, acknowledging that Biden won the Nov. 3 election even as Trump continued to make false accusations that the vote was rigged.

In her letter, which was released by the Ministry of Education, she highlighted what she called the administration’s “many accomplishments”, including its willingness to reopen schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. , which many educators and public health officials have opposed.

Earlier: Chao quits Trump cabinet as resignations accelerate following riot

“Mr. President, I know for sure that history will show that we have been right in our repeated demand and support for the reopening of schools this year and for bringing all American students back to learning,” he said. she writes.

But she added that “we should recognize and celebrate the many accomplishments of your administration on behalf of the American people. Instead, we have yet to clean up the mess caused by the violent protesters invading the United States Capitol in an attempt to undermine the affairs of the people.

Read more: Trump picked his perfect education secretary in Betsy Of yours

DeVos was appointed to the cabinet post despite her lack of experience in education policy. She promoted school choice, voucher programs and charter schools, much to the dismay of teachers’ unions and liberal education activists. She also eased the Obama administration’s restrictions on for-profit colleges. And in 2019, she was fined $ 100,000 for violating a judge’s order to halt debt collection efforts against bankrupt Corinthian Colleges Inc. alumni.

She grew up in Michigan, where she promoted educational causes, including school choice. She is married to the elder Amway Corp. Chairman Dick DeVos is the sister of Erik Prince, the founder of private military contractor Blackwater USA and an ally of Trump. Their father, Edgar Prince, was an engineer and industrialist.

– With the help of Justin Sink and Andrew Kreighbaum

(Updates with background, in the last paragraph.)