Top China, Russia Advisers Among White House Resignations After Capitol Violence

By Staff, Agencies

Top national security aides and other staffers resigned from US President Donald Trump's administration over the storming of Capitol Hill by his supporters, and officials said on Thursday more departures are expected soon.

Deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, a leading figure in the development of Trump's China policy, resigned on Wednesday in response to the incident, a senior administration official told Reuters.

That was followed by Ryan Tully, the senior director for European and Russian affairs at the National Security Council, another senior official said on condition of anonymity.

Trump's pledge on Thursday about an "orderly transition" to President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20 was partly intended to head off further resignations, but the second official told Reuters: "It's not going to stop it."

With under two weeks left of Trump's presidency, many aides were already heading for the door but the sudden departures underscored the revulsion among Trump staffers over what was widely seen as his encouragement of mobs of supporters who stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to prevent formal certification of Biden's November 3 election victory.

Congress did so early on Thursday.

The shocking images at the Capitol filled television screens in the United States and around the world, a deep stain on Trump's presidency and legacy as his tenure nears its end.

Among those who were spurred to quit on Thursday was Mick Mulvaney, a former White House chief of staff who resigned his post as a special envoy to Northern Ireland.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see more of my friends resign over the course of the next 24 to 48 hours," he said on CNBC.

Further departures are especially likely at the NSC, one of the officials said. It coordinates US foreign policy among federal agencies and maintains close contacts with foreign governments, so the loss of key staffers could raise questions about national security amid a presidential transition.

The assault on the US Capitol drew condemnation from US friends and foes alike, with many blaming Trump for inciting his supporters and not doing enough to rein them in.