The science envoy for the State Department has resigned following President Donald Trump’s response to the violent clashes at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, The Hill reports. Daniel Kammen announced his resignation in a letter addressed to Trump — in which the first letter of every paragraph spelled out “Impeach”.
“My decision to resign is in response to your attacks on core values of the United States,” Kammen said in the letter.
“Your failure to condemn white supremacists and neo-Nazis has domestic and international ramifications.” he added.
Kammen said it is particularly troubling to him that Trump’s response to Charlottesville is “consistent with a broader pattern of behavior that enables sexism and racism, and disregards the welfare of Americans, the global community and the planet”.
“Examples of this destructive pattern have consequences on my duties as Science Envoy. Your decision to abdicate the leadership opportunities and job creation benefits of the Paris Climate Accord, and to undermine energy and environmental research are not acceptable to me.” he said.
Trump faced bipartisan backlash for his response to the Charlottesville violence. During a press conference last week, Trump said there is “blame on both sides” for the deadly violence in Virginia, where one person died and more were injured when a car was driven into a group of counterprotesters.
Trump added there were some “very fine people” marching among white supremacists to protest the removal of a Confederate monument. The president on Tuesday defended his response to the violence in Charlottesville during a rally in Phoenix, blaming the press for the controversy.
“It is time to expose the crooked media deception and to challenge the media for their role in fomenting divisions. And yes, by the way, they are trying to take away our history and our heritage.” Trump said at the campaign-style event.
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