Kevin Sweeney resigns as Trump's Pentagon chief of staff
Rear Admiral Kevin Sweeney, USN (Ret.) has resigned as Pentagon chief of staff, a Saturday news release from the U.S. Department of Defense said.
"After two years in the Pentagon, I've decided the time is right to return to the private sector," Sweeney said in a brief statement. "It has been an honor to serve again alongside the men and women of the Department of Defense."
According to CNN, an unnamed source said the Trump White House forced Sweeney out.
Sweeney served under former Defense Secretary James Mattis, who resigned in December and said his last day would be Feb. 28. Trump effectively had Mattis depart two months earlier when he announced his replacement, Patrick Shanahan, who started Jan. 1.
Sweeney is the third official with the Department of Defense to resign in less than a month, according to Slate. Dana White resigned as Pentagon spokeswoman amidst an internal investigation into her conduct.
