US transport secretary Elaine Chao has resigned following the breach of the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.
Chao — whose sister Angela runs bulker owner Foremost Group and who is married to Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell — served as the head of the Department of Transportation for all of Trump's presidency.
She made the decision early on Thursday afternoon, according to the Washington Post.
The newspaper said she is the first cabinet member to resign after Trump loyalists attempted to disrupt the confirmation of Democratic challenger Joe Biden's victory in November's election.
On Wednesday, Trump's supporters quickly overran US Capitol police, entered the building and delayed the confirmation process while members of congress sheltered in the building.
One woman died after being shot during the events and several arrests were made, but not before protesters made their way into the legislative chambers and offices.
The confirmation was delayed, with Biden's win solidified after midnight.
'Deeply troubled'
Chao confirmed via her Twitter account that she had tendered her resignation, which will become effective on 11 January.
"Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the president stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed," Chao said in a resignation letter sent to her department. "It has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside."
Biden has nominated Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who lost to him in the Democratic presidential primaries, as his transport secretary.
"I am hopeful that many of you will carry forward our vision to improve the lives of Americans through this department and beyond," Chao said.
"We will help my announced successor mayor Pete Buttigieg, with taking on the responsibility of running this wonderful department."
Strong shipping background
Elaine Chao has had no role in New York-based Foremost in several years, but many in the industry had high hopes for the industry's prospects with her in the administration.
In government, she had served as deputy administrator of the Maritime Administration under US President Ronald Reagan, was Federal Maritime Commission chairwoman under both Reagan and President George HW Bush and served as labour secretary under President George W Bush.
Her shipping background and presence in Washington earned her plaudits as an American Maritime Hero from the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), an industry group.
"We have never had a transportation secretary with such knowledge about, experience in, and passion for our industry," AMP chairman Matt Woodruff said when Chao was bestowed the honour in 2019.
"When the chips are down, there is no stronger advocate than Secretary Chao. She is a proven American maritime hero."
Her shipping ties were not always celebrated, however, with the US House of Representatives' oversight committee launching an investigation in September 2019 into whether or not she used her office to benefit Foremost.
Chao's assistant secretary, Adam Sullivan, denied the allegations in a letter and stressed that Foremost has no US-flagged ships, putting the company outside the department's scope.
He also cited her support for the US-flagged fleet and the Jones Act.
