Newsman: The acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf has resigned amid threats of more violence ahead of the inauguration of President Joe Biden’s on January20th.2021. Secretary Wolf became the third cabinet member of the Trump’s administration since the insurrection of at the Capitol Hill last Wednesday. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary, and Elaine Chao, who was transportation secretary, have also resigned.
Before announcing he was stepping down Monday, Wolf said, he had instructed the US Secret Service to begin National Special Security Event operations for the inauguration on Wednesday instead of January 19, citing in part “events of the past week and the evolving security landscape leading up to the inauguration.”
Chad Wolf said in a letter to the department Monday, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Pete Gaynor will be the new acting secretary, taking over in the wake of the US Capitol attack and as the national security apparatus prepares for possible violence leading up to Inauguration Day.
“I am saddened to take this step, as it was my intention to serve the Department until the end of this Administration,” Wolf wrote, citing ongoing litigation challenging the validity of his appointment.
“Unfortunately, this action is warranted by recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary. These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power,” Wolf added.
Wolf was in the chief role at the department in an acting capacity for 14 months. His tenure has repeatedly come up in litigation against the Trump administration’s immigration actions, most recently last week regarding asylum limits.
Last week, Wolf urged President Donald Trump and all elected officials to condemn the violence on Capitol Hill in a sharply worded statement, while vowing to stay in his position until President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
“What transpired yesterday was tragic and sickening. While I have consistently condemned political violence on both sides of the aisle, specifically violence directed at law enforcement, we now see some supporters of the President using violence as a means to achieve political ends,” Wolf said. “This is unacceptable.”
