A slew of White House and Trump administration resignations follow Capitol breach

Savannah Behrmann and Courtney Subramanian, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – A string of resignations from the Trump administration followed the violence and rioting at the nation's capital by supporters of President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

The resignations come two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration and as rioters stormed the Capitol building as Congress worked to officially vote on the Electoral College votes.

More: What happened in D.C. today? How a Trump mob stormed the Capitol forcing Washington into lockdown

Many of the rioters came directly from Trump’s “Save America Rally” that began hours earlier near the White House. Trump spoke to them for more than an hour, insisting, without evidence, that the election had been stolen.

Then, a pro-Trump mob began grappling with police on the Capitol steps and forced themselves into the Capitol, leading Vice President Mike Pence to be swept to a secure location, and the Senate chamber to be evacuated.

Rioters then began breaking windows in the Capitol, vandalizing the building, and were even seen on the Senate floor, sitting at the dais.

News of the resignations came out soon after the rioting began.

Stephanie Grisham, First Lady Melania Trump's chief of staff and a former press secretary to the president, resigned Wednesday, issuing a statement saying she was proud of the administration's "many accomplishments."

More: Stephanie Grisham, first lady's top aide, former WH press secretary, resigns amid Capitol chaos

“It has been an honor to serve the country in the White House," she said in her statement posted on Twitter. "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."

Her statement did not explicitly mention the violence, but according to Reuters, she was moved to resign because of Wednesday's events.

Press Secretary Sarah Matthews was among the first to offer her resignation on Wednesday evening after the fracas on Capitol Hill.

Matthews, who worked with Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, said she was "honored" to serve Trump but emphasized she was "disturbed" by today's events.

"I was honored to serve in the Trump administration and proud of the policies we enacted. As someone who worked in the halls of Congress I was deeply disturbed by what I saw today," she said in a statement, according to an administration official. "I'll be stepping down from my role, effective immediately. Our nation needs a peaceful transfer of power."

More: Senate rejects objection to Arizona's electoral votes for Biden - live Congress updates

Anna Cristina "Rickie" Niceta, White House social secretary, handed in her resignation following the Capitol Hill riots, according to an administration official.

Niceta, who was hired by the First Lady in 2017, helped oversee White House events as part of the East Wing. She became the second East Wing staff member to quit after Grisham resigned earlier.

Others who are reportedly considering following suit include National security adviser Robert O'Brien, deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger and deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A slew of resignations from Trump's White House and administration follow Capitol insurrection

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