After Months of Scandals, Scott Pruitt Resigns EPA Post
President Trump announced the EPA administrator's departure in a pair of tweets.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has resigned from his post, President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
In pair of tweets, Trump thanked Pruitt for doing an "outstanding job" and said his deputy, Andrew Wheeler, will take over as acting administrator. "I have accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency," Trump wrote. "Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this. The Senate confirmed Deputy at EPA, Andrew Wheeler, will on Monday assume duties as the acting Administrator of the EPA. I have no doubt that Andy will continue on with our great and lasting EPA agenda. We have made tremendous progress and the future of the EPA is very bright!"
I have accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this. The Senate confirmed Deputy at EPA, Andrew Wheeler, will…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2018
…on Monday assume duties as the acting Administrator of the EPA. I have no doubt that Andy will continue on with our great and lasting EPA agenda. We have made tremendous progress and the future of the EPA is very bright!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2018
This latest Trump adminstration shakeup comes after months of scandals involving the Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general. Pruitt has faced investigations for installing an expensive soundproofed telephone booth in his office, regularly traveling first class on airlines, taking a security detail on personal trips, and renting a posh D.C. condo from a Washington lobbyist at a cost far below the market rate. He justified his first-class air travel and 24/7 security guards on the grounds that the hoi polloi might say rude things to him.
CNN reported this week that Pruitt asked Trump to get rid of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and give him control of the Justice Department. Pruitt denied that report.
