Top Trump aide resigns after reports he abused his ex-wives


Senior White House aide Rob Porter has resigned after his ex-wives told The Intercept that he physically abused them, The New York Times reports. The FBI was first made aware of the women's claims last year during interviews with them as part of Porter's background check.
"He only punched me once, in the eye," said Porter's first wife, Colbie Holderness. "He threw me down on the bed and punched me in the face." Holderness also shared photos she said were taken after the incident and that appear to show her with a black eye. "Up until then, he had always done it in a way that didn't leave marks," she said.
Porter's second wife, Jennifer Willoughby, had previously blogged about an abusive relationship, although she did not use Porter's name. She confirmed she was writing about her ex-husband to The Intercept: "The first time he called me a 'f--king b---h' was on our honeymoon," Willoughby wrote on her blog. "A month later he physically prevented me from leaving the house. Less than two months after that, I filed a protective order with the police because he punched in the glass on our front door while I was locked inside."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Porter did not respond to The Intercept's request for comment. The White House has defended Porter, with Chief of Staff John Kelly calling him a "man of true integrity and honor and I can't say enough good things about him." Read the full report at The Intercept.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Sudoku medium: July 5, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami