Sam Clovis, the former Trump campaign national co-chairman who withdrew his nomination to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture's top scientist last fall after he became embroiled in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, is leaving the USDA, effective Friday. Clovis had been serving most recently as the USDA's White House liaison, and his going-away party was Thursday night, Politico reports.
Before President Trump nominated Clovis to be the USDA's undersecretary for research, education, and economics, despite an acknowledged lack of science background, he had led the Trump transition team's USDA group. On the campaign, Clovis had supervised George Papadopoulos, the policy adviser whose loose lips sparked the Russia investigation; Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to charges of lying to the FBI about his communications with Russian officials. Clovis "is a good man and a patriot who for decades has served his country admirably," a USDA spokesman said. "We wish him well on his future endeavors back home in Iowa."
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.
-
The state of Britain's Armed ForcesThe Explainer Geopolitical unrest and the unreliability of the Trump administration have led to a frantic re-evaluation of the UK's military capabilities
-
Anti-anxiety drug has a not-too-surprising effect on fishUnder the radar The fish act bolder and riskier
-
Crossword: April 21, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contemptSpeed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cutsSpeed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deporteeSpeed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't lastSpeed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's ShapiroSpeed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia UniversitySpeed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrantSpeed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
-
Two judges bar war-powers deportationsSpeed Read The Trump administration was blocked from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport more alleged Venezuelan gang members
