US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will leave his post at the end of the year, in the latest high-profile departure from President Donald Trump’s administration.
When announcing it on Twitter, Mr Trump did not give a reason for Mr Zinke’s departure but the former congressman from Montana has come under scrutiny for his use of security details, chartered flights and a real estate deal.
His resignation comes just weeks before Democrats take control of the House, a shift in power that promises to sharpen the probes into the Interior Secretary’s conduct.
Mr Trump thanked the controversial congressman on Twitter.
“Ryan has accomplished much during his tenure and I want to thank him for his service to our Nation,” he wrote.
He added that the “Trump administration will be announcing the new secretary of the Interior next week.”
Mr Zinke, 57, has run the Interior Department overseeing America’s vast public lands since early 2017.