Trump announces Zinke to leave administration in surprise announcement

Shawn Thew/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will leave his administration post at the end of the year, President Trump announced.

The president made the surprise staffing announcement by tweet Saturday morning and thanked Zinke for his service over the last two years.

“@RyanZinke will be leaving the Administration at the end of the year after having served for a period of almost two years,” the president tweeted. “Ryan has accomplished much during his tenure and I want to thank him for his service to our Nation.”

The White House did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment about what prompted the sudden announcement of Zinke’s departure, which comes just a day after the president announced that his budget director, Mick Mulvaney, will step into the role of chief of staff on an acting-basis in the new year when Chief of Staff John Kelly will depart.

Zinke has faced multiple inquiries by his department’s inspector general and congressional investigators since he took office, including into his travel and whether he was improperly involvement in a real estate development in his hometown.

Zinke has maintained that he will be cleared in the investigations and has followed all department ethical rules.

Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print