Donald Trump’s administration saw a mass exodus in the aftermath of the January 6 riots last year. Multiple officials, both cabinet and executive, quit their jobs in an attempt to distance themselves from the criticism that followed. Two such former aides of Trump — Sarah Matthews and Matthew Pottinger — spoke to the House Select Committee charged with investigating the Capitol violence. 

With then-President-elect Joe Biden’s victory certified by Congress, it was clear that Trump’s bid to overturn the 2020 elections had failed. However, some officials decided to retain their positions till January 20, 2021, when Biden’s inauguration was scheduled.

Also Read: Jan 6 hearing: What were Capitol rioters saying over walkie-talkies?

Here are some of the most prominent figures who left the Trump administration after the Capitol riots:

Elaine Chao: Then- Transportation Secretary resigned from her position after the dust settled at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. She was one of the first cabinet members of Trump to step down. Elaine Chao’s husband is Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader.

Mick Mulvaney: He served as the former President’s acting chief of staff and was later offered the position of America’s special envoy to Northern Ireland. He initially accepted. In a live interview after the January 6 riots, Mulvaney announced he will be stepping down.

Matthew Pottinger: He served as the Deputy National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, but resigned almost immediately after violence broke out at the US Capitol.  

Betsy DeVos: A day after the January 6 riots, Trump received the second resignation letter from his cabinet. Then-Education Secretary DeVos wrote in a letter to Trump, “There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me.”

Also Read: Not condemning riot could ruin Donald Trump’s legacy, feared Trump Jr

Sarah Matthews: The deputy White House press secretary resigned alongside Pottinger. She also spoke to the January 6 committee on July 21, 2022, revealing what the former President was doing when rioters broke into the US Capitol.

Other administration and White House officials who stepped down from their position after the riots include: White House social secretary Rickie Niceta, economic adviser Tyler Goodspeed, Stephanie Grisham, the former White House press secretary and chief of staff to first lady Melania Trump among others.