On Thursday, amid reports of his involvement in Trump’s conversation with Ukraine’s president, Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced he would step down by the end of this year; this news comes just one week after acting US Homeland Security Secretary, Kevin McAleenan, also resigned—which got us thinking: Just how many other aides and cabinet members have departed while serving under President Trump?
Well, a lot. Trump’s cabinet likely has a higher turnover rate than any other U.S. president in history. In case you need a recap, below you’ll find a timeline of several major departures during the Trump Administration, beginning with the most recent politicians’ exits.
Rick Perry
Role: Energy Secretary
Date: Resigned in October 2019 (though it isn’t known when he will officially step down).
Reported reason: No reason provided, though Trump has responded to his resignation by stating that Perry has “got some very big plans.”
Kevin McAleenan
Role: Acting Homeland Security Secretary
Date: Resigned in October 2019
Reported reason: “Personal and family reasons”
John Bolton
Role: National Security Adviser
Date: Fired in September 2019.
Reported reason: “I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the administration,” Trump tweeted, “and therefore, I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning.”
Jason Green
Role: Special Envoy to the Middle East
Date: Resigned in September 2019.
Reported reason: Will move back to New Jersey to spend time with family.
Dan Coats
Role: Intelligence Chief
Date: Resigned in August 2019 (though it was rumoured he would leave earlier).
Reported reason: “As we have previously discussed, I believe it is time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life,” Coats wrote in his resignation letter, addressed to the president.
Alex Acosta
Role: Labour Secretary
Date: Resigned in July 2019.
Reported reason: According to a tweet, President Trump said Acosta resigned over ongoing controversy surrounding Acosta’s handling of an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein in 2008. “He felt the constant drumbeat of press about a prosecution which took place under his watch more than 12 years ago was bad for the Administration, which he so strongly believes in, and he graciously tendered his resignation …,” Trump wrote.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Role: White House Press Secretary
Date: Resigned in June 2019.
Reported reason: Unclear, though, during a White House event, she did not rule out the possibility of a political career in her home state of Arkansas. On Twitter, Trump also urged her to run for governor.
Patrick Shanahan
Role: Acting Secretary of Defence
Date: Withdrew from the confirmation process in June 2019.
Reported reason: In June, the Washington Post reported on a November 2011 dispute in which Shanahan’s son violently attacked the Defence Secretary’s ex-wife. “After having been confirmed for Deputy Secretary less than two years ago, it is unfortunate that a painful and deeply personal family situation from long ago is being dredged up and painted in an incomplete and therefore misleading way in the course of this process,” Shanahan wrote in his resignation letter. “I believe my continuing in the confirmation process would force my three children to relive a traumatic chapter in our family’s life and reopen wounds we have worked years to heal.”
Rod J. Rosenstein
Role: Deputy Attorney General
Date: Resigned in May 2019.
Reported reason: Unclear, though Trump had allegedly expressed wanting him removed as early as January 2018; according to a report by CNN, Trump was frustrated with regarding his oversight of the Russia investigation.
Randolph D. Alles
Role: Secret Service Director
Date: Resigned in April 2019.
Reported reason: Unclear. He also disputes claims that he was fired.
Kirstjen Nielsen
Role: Homeland Security Secretary
Date: Resigned in March-April 2019.
Reported reason: Unclear. “… I have determined that it is the right time for me to step aside.”
Heather Wilson
Role: Air Force Secretary
Date: Resigned in March 2019.
Report: Became president of the University of Texas at El Paso.
Bill Shine
Role: White House Communications Director
Date: Resigned in March 2019.
Reported reason: Became senior adviser on Trump’s re-election campaign.
Linda McMahon
Role: Small Business Administrator
Date: Resigned in March 2019.
Reported reason: Became chair of Chairman of America First Action, a pro-Trump PAC.
Brock Long
Role: FEMA Administrator
Date: Resigned in February-March 2019.
Reported reason: Unclear, though Long had resigned while facing criticism over his use of government vehicles for personal use. In a statement to the Washington Post, a FEMA Press Secretary disputes this as the cause for his departure. “It honestly has nothing to do with the travel issue,” they said. “He’s been away from his family for a long time. And he’s chosen this moment to make sure the new administrator has enough time to prepare for upcoming hurricane season before it hits.”
Raj Shah
Role: White House Deputy Press Secretary
Date: Resigned in January 2019.
Reported reason: Joined a lobbying firm.
Ryan Zinke
Role: Interior Secretary
Date: Resigned in December 2018.
Reported reason: During his term as Interior Secretary, Zinke faced several accusations of having conducted illegal, personal business dealings. “I love working for the President and am incredibly proud of all the good work we’ve accomplished together,” Zinke said in a statement regarding his resignation. “However, after 30 years of public service, I cannot justify spending thousands of dollars defending myself and my family against false allegations.”
James Mattis
Role: Secretary of Defence
Date: Resigned in December 2018.
Reported reason: “Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defence whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.” (Reportedly, Mattis resigned in protest over Trump’s decision to withdraw American forces from Syria.)
Nick Ayers
Role: Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence
Date: Resigned in December 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear. (He also reportedly turned down an offer to become Trump’s Chief of Staff.)
Jeff Sessions
Role: Attorney General
Date: “Resigned” in November 2018.
Reported reason: Because Trump asked him to step down. Trump had repeatedly criticised Sessions in several public forums before his resignation, including on Twitter. Most notably, in several tweets, he implied that Session’s recusal from investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election was a “betrayal” and blamed the continuing investigation on him.
Don McGahn
Role: White House Counsel
Date: Resigned in October 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear. In a May 2019 tweet, however, Trump said he was “never a big fan” of McGahn, related to his involvement as a witness in Robert Mueller’s investigation.
Nikki Haley
Role: U.N. Ambassador
Date: Resigned in October 2018.
Reported reason: In a press conference, Trump said Haley had wanted to take “a little time off.”
Scott Pruitt
Role: EPA Administrator
Date: Resigned in July 2018.
Reported reason: Before his resignation, Pruitt faced criticism over several accusations of ethics controversies. In his resignation letter, Pruitt said these investigations forced him to resign. “… the unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us,” he wrote.
Joseph Hagin
Role: Deputy Chief of Staff
Date: Resigned in June 2018.
Reported reason: White House officials told the New York Times he planned to retire from the federal government and “return to the private sector.”
Mike Pompeo
Role: CIA Director
Date: Left in April-May 2018.
Reported reason: Appointed Secretary of State.
Ricky Waddell
Role: Deputy National Security Adviser
Date: Resigned in April 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear, though he was the fourth official among the National Security Council to depart as John Bolton took over.
Nadia Schadlow
Role: Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategy
Date: Resigned in April 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear, though she was another official among the National Security Council to depart as John Bolton took over.
Thomas P. Bossert
Role: Homeland Security Adviser
Date: Resigned in April 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear. He was another official among the National Security Council to depart as John Bolton took over.
Michael Anton
Role: National Security Council Spokesperson
Date: Resigned in April 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear. He was another official among the National Security Council to depart as John Bolton took over.
Hope Hicks
Role: White House Communications Director
Date: Resigned in March 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear, though according to the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman, she had been planning her exit for months (despite only having served as Communications Director for six months).
David Shulkin
Role: Veterans Affairs Secretary
Date: Fired in March 2018. (Shulkin maintains that he was fired, while the White House claimed he resigned.)
Reported reason: Shulkin claims it was because of his opposition to the privatization of Veterans Affairs.
Rex Tillerson
Role: Secretary of State
Date: Fired in March 2018.
Reported reason: According to a senior aide, Trump “thought it was the right time for the transition with the upcoming North Korea talks and various trade negotiations.”
H.R. McMaster
Role: National Security Adviser
Date: Resigned in March 2018.
Reported reason: According to a White House official, McMaster’s exit was conceived by both himself and Trump and “was not related to any one moment or incident; rather it was the result of ongoing conversations between the two.” Shortly thereafter, he was replaced by John Bolton.
Rick Dearborn
Role: White House Deputy Chief of Staff
Date: Resigned in March 2018.
Reported reason: Joined a consulting firm.
Andrew McCabe
Role: F.B.I. Director
Date: Fired in March 2018.
Reported reason: Claims it was a “retaliation” by President Trump and has since filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice. “It was Trump’s unconstitutional plan and scheme to discredit and remove DOJ and FBI employees who were deemed to be his partisan opponents because they were not politically loyal to him,” his lawsuit read.
John McEntee
Role: Personal aide
Date: Fired in March 2018.
Reported Reason: Was under investigation by Homeland Security for alleged financial crimes.
Gary Cohn
Role: White House National Economic Council Director
Date: Resigned in March 2018.
Reported Reason: Unclear, though Cohn’s opposition against stiff tariffs (which Trump favoured) may have contributed.
Rachel Brand
Role: Associate Attorney General
Date: Resigned in February 2018.
Reported reason: Joined Walmart’s executive team.
Rob Porter
Role: White House Staff Secretary
Date: Resigned in February 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear, though he resigned one day after accusations of abuse by two of his former wives.
Brenda Fitzgerald
Role: CDC Director
Date: Resigned in January 2018.
Reported reason: Unclear, though she resigned one day after a report by Politico which exposed that she had traded tobacco stocks while promoting anti-smoking efforts as C.D.C. director.
Omarosa Manigault Newman
Role: Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison
Date: Fired in December 2017.
Reported reason: Unclear, though in a story by Politico, officials claim it was due to her abuse of the White House car service.
Dina Powell
Role: Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategy
Date: Resigned in December 2017.
Reported reason: Sanders claimed she had only planned to assume the role for one year.
Tom Price
Role: Health and Human Services Secretary
Date: Resigned in September 2017.
Reported reason: Before his resignation, Trump was “not happy” with Price for his use of private flights for official business. “I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives,” Price wrote in his resignation letter. “Success on these issues is more important than any one person. In order for you to move forward without further disruption, I am officially tendering my resignation …”
Stephen Bannon
Role: Chief Strategist
Date: Resigned in August 2017.
Reported reason: Unclear, though according to CNN, the firing had been planned due to growing tension between the president and Bannon (as well as John Kelly’s recent arrival in the White House).
Anthony Scaramucci
Role: White House Communications Director
Date: Fired in July 2017.
Reported reason: John Kelly, then Chief of Staff, forced him out.
Sean Spicer
Role: White House Press Secretary
Date: Resigned in July 2017.
Reported reason: Apparently Over a disagreement with President Trump over the hiring of Scaramucci.
John Kelly
Role: Homeland Security Secretary
Date: Left in July 2017.
Reported reason: Appointed White House Chief of Staff. (He later resigned from that role in December 2018.)
James Comey
Role: F.B.I. Director
Date: Fired in May 2017.
Reported reason: In a dismissal letter written by Trump, he claimed it was at the request of both the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General. (According to the Mueller Report, Trump was allegedly frustrated with Comey’s handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails and the Russia-probe.)
Michael Flynn
Role: National Security Adviser
Date: Resigned in February 2017.
Reported reason: Trump said he fired Flynn “because he lied” to the F.B.I. over discussions he had with a Russian ambassador.
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