Melania Trump's Chief of Staff Stephanie Grisham Resigns After Riots at Capitol

Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump's chief of staff, resigned from her post on Wednesday.

The former White House press secretary issued a statement on Wednesday to announce her resignation, which came after violent rioters breached the Capitol building as lawmakers were in the middle of certifying President-elect Joe Biden's win.

"It has been an honor to serve the country in the @WhiteHouse. I am very proud to have been a part of @FLOTUS @MELANIATRUMP mission to help children everywhere, & proud of the many accomplishments of this Administration," Grisham said in a tweet.

Grisham did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Grisham first started working with the Trump administration on his campaign trail back in 2015 and was hired by the first lady two years later as her communications director. In 2019, she took on the responsibilities of White House communications director and press secretary as well.

In April 2020, Kayleigh McEnany took over as press secretary, and Grisham became Melania's chief of staff.

Chaos descended on the Capitol on Wednesday when scores of Trump-supporting rioters entered the building, forcing the joint session of Congress to be temporarily suspended while lawmakers were sent into hiding and eventually evacuated. The session resumed later on Wednesday night.

Amid the rioting, a woman was shot and later pronounced dead. Rioters were photographed scaling the Capitol's walls, breaking windows, roaming through the building, looting and vandalizing, including in congressional chambers and lawmaker offices. Rioters also ripped an American flag off of a flagpole outside the Capitol building and replaced it with a Trump flag.

The National Guard was activated amid the chaos, and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a curfew beginning at 6 p.m.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle condemned the rioters' actions throughout the day on Wednesday, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and others issued strong remarks against the "insurrectionists" when Congress reconvened.

Source: Read Full Article