Elaine Chao: Transportation Secretary and Mitch McConnell's wife 'to resign following Capitol riots'

US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao will resign, according to reports from officials familiar with the situation.

According to Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey, Ms Chao sent out a draft to her Department of Transportation colleagues explaining her resignation, which she says is motivated by the US Capitol riots carried out by Trump supporters in recent days.

Ms Chao is married to Sen. Mitch McConnell, who also condemned the riots and opposed Donald Trump’s demands that the election be overturned in his favour.

“Our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed. As I'm sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside,” Ms Chao wrote in her letter.