Feb 13, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Biden press aide resigns after threatening reporter

White House briefing room

TJ Ducklo has resigned from his position of White House deputy press secretary, press secretary Jen Psaki said Saturday.

Driving the news: Earlier this week, Ducklo was placed on one-week suspension without pay after Vanity Fair reported that he threatened to ruin the reputation of a Politico reporter pursuing a story about his relationship with an Axios reporter.

What they're saying: "We accepted the resignation of TJ Ducklo after a discussion with him this evening," Psaki said in a statement.

  • "This conversation occurred with the support of the White House Chief of Staff," she added.
  • "We are committed to striving every day to meet the standard set by the President in treating others with dignity and respect, with civility and with a value for others through our words and our actions."

Ducklo also issued a statement on Twitter: "No words can express my regret, my embarrassment, and my disgust for my behavior. I used language that no woman should ever have to hear from anyone, especially in a situation where she was just trying to do her job. It was language that was abhorrent, disrespectful and unacceptable,” he said.

  • “I am devastated to have embarrassed and disappointed my White House colleagues and President Biden, and after discussion with White House communications leadership tonight, I resigned and will not be returning from administrative leave.”
  • “I know this was terrible. I know I can’t take it back. But I also know that I can learn from it and do better. This incident is not representative of who I am as a person, and I will be determined to earn back the trust from everyone I have let down because of my intolerable actions.”
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