Trump appointee who downsized counter-terrorism efforts will resign

WASHINGTON — James F. McDonnell, a presidential appointee who over the last two years downsized the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to prevent terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction, has agreed to resign.

McDonnell’s resignation, department sources said, comes at the request of acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and would become effective at noon on Thursday, according to an email McDonnell sent his staff at 12:57 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

McDonnell’s seven-sentence memo did not provide a reason for his resignation, saying only it was “time for a new leadership team to take things to the next level.” When reached Monday morning by telephone, McDonnell said: “I don’t have any comment. Thanks for calling.”

View the complete October 2 article by David Willman on The Los Angeles Times website here.