Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigns in wake of Capitol riot

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigned on Thursday night, becoming the second Cabinet member to do so following Wednesday's violence in Washington, D.C.

As lawmakers voted to certify the election results, supporters of President Trump stormed the Capitol, smashing glass, breaking into offices, and ripping down signs. In her resignation letter to Trump, DeVos said they should be "highlighting and celebrating your administration's many accomplishments on behalf of the American people," but instead "we are left to clean up the mess caused by violent protesters overrunning the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people's business."

This behavior "was unconscionable for our country," DeVos said. "There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me. Impressionable children are watching all this, and they are learning from us."

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Earlier in the day, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigned from her post. In a statement, Chao said she was "tremendously proud" of the department's accomplishments, but was "deeply troubled" by the "entirely avoidable" situation at the Capitol.