- Betsy DeVos said she resigned after learning that Trump would not be removed until the 25th Amendment.
- DeVos confirmed that she was in talks for the 25th Amendment after the Capitol riot.
- DeVos was Trump’s secretary of education.
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Following the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, Education Minister Betsy DeVos said she resigned from the cabinet after learning that Vice President Mike Pence would not support calling for the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump.
“I talked to the vice president and I just told him I was there to do what he wanted and he needed me to do or help, and he made it very clear that he was not going in that direction or this time.” , DeVos told USA Today columnist Ingrid Jacques in her first public interview about her decision to retire on January 7, 2021.
“I talked to colleagues. I wanted to understand the law better and see if it is applicable in this case. There were more than a few people who held these talks internally, “she added, confirming reports at the time that cabinet members were discussing the reference to the 25th Amendment.
The 25th Amendment allows the vice president to take over the presidency, as long as he and a majority of cabinet members approve. But after Pence opposed such efforts, DeVos decided to leave the Trump administration the same day, Jacques said.
DeVos has not spoken to Trump since, she told Jacques.
DeVos’ comments come ahead of the June 21 release of her new book, Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child. The book discusses the education system in the United States and highlights the time DeVos worked for Trump during his one term until her resignation.
In the book, DeVos described the attack on the Capitol on January 6 and wrote that it was her turning point with Trump’s support.
“For me, there was a line in the sand. It was not about the election results. It was about the values and image of the United States. It was about raising public services above itself. The president had lost sight of that, “she wrote, according to USA Today.
DeVos told Jacques that what happened on January 6 “is in no way defensible” and criticized the president for his inaction.
When I saw what was happening on January 6 and did not see how the president intervened and did what he could to bring him back, slow him down or really deal with the situation, it was just obvious to me that I could not keep going, “DeVos said.
The former education secretary was among many Trump administration officials who resigned after the Capitol uprising, along with former Transport Secretary Elaine Chao, former White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham and former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolfe.
The House of Representatives’ election commission, which is investigating Jan. 6, will hold six public hearings this month to reveal its findings after a year-long investigation. The first meeting is on Thursday evening. The group questioned more than 1,000 witnesses and reviewed thousands of documents as part of the investigation.
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