President Trump said Thursday that embattled Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt decided on his own to resign, underscoring he was not forced to exit over his mounting ethics problems.
“No final straw,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about Pruitt’s decision. “Scott is a terrific guy. And he came to me and he said, ‘I have such great confidence in the administration. I don’t want to be a distraction.’ And I think Scott felt that he was a distraction.”
{mosads}Asked if the decision was his own or the EPA chief’s, Trump responded, “it was very much up to him.”
Pruitt announced his resignation earlier Thursday as he became increasingly enveloped in controversies over accusations of improper spending of taxpayer money, self-dealing and inappropriate use of staff.
Despite those controversies, Pruitt was able to remain in the president’s good graces for months due to his aggressive efforts to carry out a deregulation agenda — as well as his praise for Trump.
“He’ll go on to great things and he’s going to have a wonderful life, I hope,” Trump said.
Pruitt is the fifth member of Trump’s Cabinet to be fired or quit in just 18 months, a staggering level of turnover for an administration.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle applauded Pruitt’s decision to step down, with GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), John Barrasso (Wyo.) and Susan Collins (Maine) all releasing statements saying Trump was right to accept the resignation.