Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will be leaving his position on the Trump cabinet by the end of the year, President Donald Trump announced Saturday morning.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
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…….
The White House has begun identifying potential replacements for Zinke, according to Bloomberg. Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, all Republicans, are all in the running to be next secretary of the interior, Bloomberg reports.
Trump is planning to announce a new leader for the Department of the Interior (DOI) next week.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
…….The Trump Administration will be announcing the new Secretary of the Interior next week.
Zinke has been plagued by media and investigator scrutiny into his travel spending, political activity and decisions as interior secretary. He has come under investigation by the Office of Special Counsel and the DOI inspector general at least 15 times. The same two watchdogs investigated the four prior DOI secretaries a total of 11 times.
The DOI did not immediately return a request for comment.
