UPDATE: White House Pulls Acting DHS Secretary’s Nomination After He Condemns Capitol Violence

The White House on Thursday pulled its nomination of Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to become the department’s permanent secretary after he condemned violence in the nation’s Capitol.

“What transpired yesterday was tragic and sickening,” Wolf said in a morning statement. “While I have consistently condemned political violence on both sides of the aisle, specifically violence directed at law enforcement, we now see some supporters of the president using violence as a means to achieve political ends. This is unacceptable. These violent actions are unconscionable, and I implore the president and all elected officials to strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday.”

A little more than an hour after the statement, the White House said it was rescinding the president’s nomination of Wolf to become the department’s permanent secretary. Wolf has served as the department’s interim head since November 2019.

The Senate on Thursday moved to adjourn until Jan. 19, giving Wolf little chance of being confirmed before President-elect Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration and making the retraction largely symbolic. The development comes after Vice President Mike Pence’s Chief of Staff Marc Short claimed he was banned from White House grounds on Wednesday for suggesting Pence lacked the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

The Trump administration has also seen a slew of resignations since Wednesday’s violence shook the nation’s Capitol. Former White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Thursday morning he would resign as the envoy to Northern Ireland, an announcement that came after resignations by Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger; First Lady Melania Trump’s Chief of Staff Stephanie Grisham; and White House social secretary Rickie Niceta.

Wolf added in his statement that he would not be joining the list of former administration officials until Biden took office.

“Every American is guaranteed the right to peacefully protest, but once those protests become violent, we should enforce our laws and bring those responsible to justice — regardless of political motivations,” Wolf said. “After a challenging and saddening 2020, it’s time for every American to respect each other and the rule of law in 2021.

“I will remain in my position until the end of the administration to ensure the department’s focus remains on the serious threats facing our country and an orderly transition to President-elect Biden’s DHS team,” he added.