Treasury Secretary Rejects Calls for Resignation, Defends Trump’s Stance on Charlottesville

Nearly 300 Classmates Urged Mnuchin’s Resignation

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin responded late Saturday to calls for his resignation following Donald Trump’s handling of the terror in Charlottesville, Virginia last week that cost activist Heather Heyer her life.

The death of Heyer sparked outrage and controversy following the president’s refusal to denounce white supremacism. Donald Trump, three days later, finally did so in a scripted response—only to, just over 24 hours later, blame “both sides” for last Saturday’s violence in an unhinged press conference. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin stood idly beside him.

Following the press conference, nearly 300 classmates of Steve Mnuchin’s 1985 Yale graduating class signed a letter advising the Treasury Secretary had a “moral obligation” to resign from Donald Trump’s cabinet.

“We, some of your fellow members of the Yale College Class of 1985, write to you today in response to President Trump’s comments on the recent events in Charlottesville,” the letter read. “We believe it is your moral obligation to resign your post as Secretary of the Treasury, effective immediately.”

“President Trump has declared himself a sympathizer with groups whose values are antithetical to those values we consider fundamental to our sacred honor as Americans, as men and women of Yale, and as decent human beings,” it continued. “President Trump made those declarations loudly, clearly, and unequivocally, and he said them as you stood next to him. We can be Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, and a number of other things and still be friends, classmates, and patriots, but we cannot be Nazis and white supremacists.”

Mnuchin shared his response to their call for resignation via a press release on Twitter:

“First, I am proud to serve my country as the 77th Treasury Secretary at this critical time in our history,” the statement began, “and I do so with the goal of taking actions to improve the economy for the benefit of all of our citizens.”

“While I find it hard to believe I should have to defend myself on this, or the president, I feel compelled to let you know that the president in no way, shape or form, believes that neo-Nazi and other hate groups who endorse violence are equivalent to groups that demonstrate in peaceful and lawful ways,” Mnuchin continued.

Mnuchin then advised Trump “deserves the opportunity to propose his agenda” without the distraction of opposition—notably “jobs, economic growth, and national security.” 

“I don’t believe the allegations against the President are accurate,” Mnuchin concluded. “As long as I am Treasury Secretary I will do the best job I can for the American people and provide the best advice I can to the President.”

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