TJ Ducklo resigned as deputy press secretary for the White House after he reportedly made a sexist and profane threat against a journalist who tried to cover his relationship with another reporter. Patrick Semansky / AP Hide caption
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Patrick Semansky / AP
TJ Ducklo resigned as deputy press secretary for the White House after he reportedly made a sexist and profane threat against a journalist who tried to cover his relationship with another reporter.
Patrick Semansky / AP
White House Assistant Secretary TJ Ducklo resigned Saturday after it was revealed he verbally threatened a reporter who was following a story about his romantic relationship with another reporter.
Ducklo, who served a week-long ineligibility for the incident, posted a statement on Twitter confirming his resignation.
“No words can express my regret, embarrassment and disgust about my behavior. I used language no woman should ever hear from anyone, especially in a situation where she was just trying to do her job. It was the language that was hideous, disrespectful and unacceptable, “he said.
“I am devastated that I embarrassed and disappointed my colleagues in the White House and President Biden, and after a discussion with White House communications officials tonight, I resigned my position and will not be returning from administrative leave.”
He went on to say that he is determined to regain the trust of everyone he has disappointed because of his “intolerable actions”.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki also issued a statement accepting Ducklo’s resignation.
“We accepted TJ Ducklo’s resignation after speaking to him tonight. This meeting was held with the support of the White House Chief of Staff,” said Psaki. “We strive every day to strive to meet the standard set by the President, to treat others with dignity and respect, with courtesy and with value to others through our words and actions.”
Vanity Fair released one on Friday report that described how Ducklo attacked Politico reporter Tara Palmeri. Ducklo allegedly made derogatory and misogynistic comments towards Palmeri and vowed to “destroy” her when she published an article about his romantic relationship with Axio’s political reporter Alexi McCammond.
Psaki subsequently suspended Ducklo for a week without pay.
She later had to defend her decision after reporters asked if her suspension of Ducklo was inconsistent with the president Joe Biden’s message to his political representatives on the day of inauguration. Biden told employees that if they “treated another colleague with disrespect” he would fire them “immediately”.
According to Psaki, Ducklo has apologized to Palmeri for his behavior.
