Energy Secretary Rick Perry Notifies President Trump He's Resigning
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) -- Energy Secretary Rick Perry has notified the president that he intends to leave his job soon.
That's according to an administration official who confirmed the news on condition of anonymity.
Perry was traveling with the president to Texas Thursday when he shared the news aboard Air Force One.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on Perry's resignation:
"Rick is a good man and a good friend who has devoted his life to serving his country, especially the great state of Texas. He went from being Texas' longest-serving governor to heading the Department of Energy, where he was a leading advocate for U.S. energy, including liquefied natural gas. Under his leadership, U.S. oil and gas production has soared—with much of that new production coming from Texas—and the United States has become a net exporter of natural gas, creating good-paying jobs, providing cleaner and more affordable energy, and boosting America's energy independence. I wish him the best as he returns to private life after a long, successful, and productive career."
Perry is under scrutiny over the role he played in the president's dealings with Ukraine, which are currently the subject of an impeachment inquiry.
Perry had disputed reports that he was planning to leave the administration in an interview Wednesday with The Wall Street Journal. But he reportedly left the door open, saying he expected to be at the Energy Department at Thanksgiving, but giving a less definitive answer when asked whether he'd be there through the end of the year.
