Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf resigns abruptly, cites 'recent events'

Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf resigned abruptly on Monday, becoming the third Cabinet member of the Trump administration to resign after the rioting at the U.S. Capitol.

Wolf released a statement to his staff about the reasons for his resignation.

"Effective at 11:59 p.m. today, I am stepping down as your Acting Secretary. I am saddened to take this step, as it was my intention to serve the Department until the end of this Administration," Wolf said in his statement.

"Unfortunately, this action is warranted by recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary," he added.

"These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power," Wolf continued.

Wolf, who was appointed to the position in November 2019, went to say that FEMA coordinator Pete Gaynor would become acting DHS secretary after he resigned.

Wolf could have been referring to a successful lawsuit in September where a judge struck down limitations Wolf placed on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, over his improper appointment to the office.

On Thursday after the siege at the Capitol, Wolf said that he would not resign over the Capitol rioting, but he denounced the violence and called on President Donald Trump to do so as well.

"These violent actions are unconscionable, and I implore the President and all elected officials to strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday," said Wolf at the time.

Prior to his resignation, Wolf ordered on Monday that the National Special Security Event operations for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden begin on Jan. 13 instead of Jan.19. The FBI warned that more political violence could erupt over the effort to oust President Trump from the White House after he lost the 2020 election.

Wolf becomes the third Cabinet member to resign following those of Elaine Chao at the Department of Transportation, and Betsy DeVos at the Department of Education.

In July, left-wing protesters participated in a "low effort" demonstration outside of Wolf's home in Alexandria, Virginia, to demand that the department stop sending federal troops to quell the left-wing violence in Portland, Oregon, and other cities around the country.

Biden announced in November that he would nominate Alejandro Mayorkas, a Cuban American, to the position.

Here's the moment the announcement was made on Fox News:

Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf resignswww.youtube.com