President Donald Trump announced Saturday morning that embattled Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will leave his post at the end of the year, and that the administration will announce his replacement next week.
Secretary of the Interior @RyanZinke will be leaving the Administration at the end of the year after having served for a period of almost two years. Ryan has accomplished much during his tenure and I want to thank him for his service to our Nation…….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
…….The Trump Administration will be announcing the new Secretary of the Interior next week.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2018
Zinke has been reportedly casting about for employment safety nets for a while, eyeing posts at Fox News, though the network denies talking with Zinke, and energy companies. He has also mulled staying in politics, with an eye on the 2020 Montana governor race.
Though Trump has a great personal affinity for Zinke, the Interior Secretary has found himself in the middle of countless probes into his Scott Pruitt-esque ethical misdeeds and has long been pegged as a Cabinet official with numbered days.
The timing of the ouster is unsurprising, as the upcoming Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives would likely have made Zinke the object of increased scrutiny and possible legal ramifications.
