EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Resigns Amidst Ethics Scandals

Scott Pruitt, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief, has resigned from his position in the midst of ethics-related controversies.

Pruitt, who had been long admired by President Donald Trump for his aggressive roll back on environmental regulations and helping to lobby the withdraw of the U.S. from the 2015 Paris climate accord, has been called the “worst head of the agency in its 48-year history,” by The Environmental Working Group.

In his resignation letter, Pruitt stated, “The unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us.”

Taking his place will be EPA Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler. He will be the regulatory agency’s acting chief on Monday.

“I have no doubt that Andy will continue on with our great and lasting EPA agenda. We have made tremendous progress and the future of the EPA is very bright!” President Trump tweeted.

“I have accepted the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,” Trump said.

“Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this,” Trump also wrote.

Trump told reporters that Pruitt had offered to resign rather than be pushed out.