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TJ Ducklo, White House deputy press secretary, resigned on Saturday, a day after he was suspended for intimidating and humiliating a Politico reporter who sought to cover his relationship with another reporter.
In a statement, Ducklo said he felt “devastated to have embarrassed and disappointed my colleagues at the White House and President Biden.”
“There are no words to express my regret, shame and disgust for my conduct,” he said. “I used vocabulary 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 abhorrent, disrespectful and unacceptable,” he added.
“I know this was terrible and I can’t take it back. But I also know I can learn from it and do better,” Ducklo continued.
On Friday, the White House announced Ducklo’s suspension without pay after Vanity Fair outlined how the now former official lashed out at Politico reporter Tara Palmeri in January 2021 for pursuing the story of their courtship, threatening to “destroy” her if she broke the story.
The former deputy press secretary also allegedly accused Palmeri of being “jealous” that an unknown man wanted to have sex with Alexi McCammond (his girlfriend) and not her, the Vanity Fair report wrote.
Ducklo became, just days before Joe Biden completes his first month as President, the first casualty of the new administration, and it came as the White House faced criticism for its decision to retain Ducklo and not abide by the rules set by the president himself.
