President Donald Trump’s staff secretary Rob Porter was forced to resign on Wednesday after separate news reports exposed detailed allegations—and photographic evidence—that he had physically, emotionally, and verbally abused his two ex-wives.
Porter claimed in a statement that allegations described in reports by the Daily Mail and The Intercept “are simply false,” but White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Porter will soon depart his job in the Trump administration, which The Intercept described as a “powerful” position that involved serving as “a gatekeeper of the flow of information to Trump.”
In its reporting, The Intercept details how the FBI was informed of Porter’s history of alleged abusive behavior “during the background interviews for Porter’s security clearance related to his senior White House role.”
In a press conference on Wednesday, reporters asked Sanders several questions about the allegations. In addition to stating that Trump has “had full confidence and trust in his abilities and his performance,” Sanders declined to say whether Porter ever received security clearance and claimed the resignation was “a personal decision that Rob made.”
When asked if the president had concerns about the allegations levied against Porter, Sanders said, “I haven’t asked” the president “about whether or not he has specific concerns.”
“Has he seen the photos of Rob Porter’s ex-wife with a black eye?” the reporter asked.
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT