On Saturday President Trump announced that Ryan Zinke will be stepping down as the administration’s Interior Secretary.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073944491588022272
Ryan Zinke is stepping down, following a series of scandals in which he is accused of using his position for personal gain.
“The Trump Administration will be announcing the new Secretary of the Interior next week,” he tweeted.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1073945393313013760
Trump had earlier said he was not seeking to fire Zinke, but would continue to review the ongoing allegations against him.
Zinke becomes the latest official to leave Trump’s cabinet in an exodus following the 6 November midterm elections.
Under Zinke’s leadership, the interior department has sought to advance oil and gas drilling and mining on or near public land, rolled back protections for threatened species and shrunk national monuments.
“Zinke’s days of plundering our lands and enriching himself and his friends are over,” said Nicole Ghio, senior fossil fuels program manager for Friends of the Earth.
In a statement, Zinke said he was resigning because he could not “justify spending thousands of dollars defending myself and my family against false allegations” but was proud of his record and achievements.
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