Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigns following Capitol siege, says Trump to blame for violence and destruction: 'Impressionable children are watching'

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has resigned from President Donald Trump's administration following the deadly Wednesday siege on the U.S. Capitol.

DeVos' resignation makes her the second Trump Cabinet member to resign following the raid — Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao submitted her resignation earlier Thursday.

What are the details?

In a Thursday resignation letter, DeVos said that rioters' behaviors were "unconscionable" and that Trump played a signifiant role in spurring on the confrontation.

The letter, obtained by CNN, argued, "There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me."

"Impressionable children are watching all of this, and they are learning from us," DeVos' letter added. "I believe we each have a moral obligation to exercise good judgment and model the behavior we hope they would emulate. They must know from us that America is greater than what transpired yesterday."

The New York Times reported that DeVos' statement added, "We should be highlighting and celebrating your administration's many accomplishments on behalf of the American people. Instead, we are left to clean up the mess caused by violent protesters overrunning the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people's business."

She concluded the statement, "Holding this position has been the honor of a lifetime, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve America and her students."

'We must set a better example'

DeVos' resignation letter echoes a statement she released on Wednesday following the raid.

"The eyes of America's children and students — the rising generation who will inherit the republic we lave them — are watching what is unfolding in Washington today," the former education secretary said Wednesday. "We must set a better example for them, and we must teach them the solemn obligations and duties that come with the title 'American.'"

What else?

DeVos' resignation was met with scorn from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as well as the Teachers Union.

Warren tweeted the news, writing, "Betsy DeVos has never done her job to help America's students. It doesn't surprise me one bit that she'd rather quit than do her job to help invoke the 25th Amendment. Good riddance, Betsy. You were the worst Secretary of Education ever."

Randi Weingarten, chair of the American Federation of Teachers, echoed Warren's sentiments and, captioning a statement from the org on Twitter, wrote, "#GoodRiddance."

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, added, "Her complicity, cowardice, and complete incompetence will be her legacy. #DoYourJob."

In a longer statement, Pringle added, "Resigning 13 days before the end of this administration does nothing to erase the harm Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has done to this country's students, their families, and educators. She has failed our students yet again when they needed her most. Her complicity, cowardice, and complete incompetence will be her legacy."

"The 3 million members of the National Education Association are looking ahead to working with the Biden-Harris administration and Education Secretary-designate Miguel Cardona to make sure that we undo the damage done by the Trump administration," the statement added. "We will build a new public education system to ensure it is one where all students — no matter who they are or where they live — have access and opportunity to a racially just and high-quality education."