Stephanie Grisham, chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump and former White House press secretary to President Donald Trump, resigned on Wednesday due to the violent uprising on Capitol Hill, NBC News reported.
Grisham submitted his letter of resignation on Wednesday afternoon after pro-Trump extremists broke into the United States Capitol building. The uprising came after Trump gathered supporters in Washington to protest the counting of Electoral College ballots that will confirm the victory of Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.
“It was an honor to serve the country in the White House. I am very proud to have been part of Ms. Trump’s mission to help children everywhere and proud of the many accomplishments of this administration,” said Grisham in a statement.
Pro-Trump protesters stormed the chambers where lawmakers were counting electoral votes. Lawmakers evacuated to safe locations.
Several police officers said a woman who was shot inside the Capitol building during the chaos died. The National Guard and state forces were mobilized to contain the insurrection.
Trump told insurgents to “go home” in a video posted on social media while continuing to spread false claims that the election was “stolen” by conspiracies unmasked by widespread electoral fraud. Facebook, Google’s YouTube and Twitter removed this video, and Twitter suspended Trump’s account for at least 12 hours.
Leaders of political parties and around the world condemned the outgoing president and the violence on Capitol Hill.
Biden, in a national television speech, said: “At this hour, our democracy is under an unprecedented attack, unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times … President Trump, step forward.”
Many Republicans and Trump allies have admonished the president’s response to the insurrection and the violent protesters. Democrats spoke on Wednesday about dismissing the president who is stepping down or removing him from office through the Constitution’s 25th Amendment.
Congress on Wednesday night resumed the process to confirm Biden’s victory after the Capitol Building was secured.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham (L) overhears U.S. President Donald Trump speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One and leaving the White House on November 8, 2019 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images