US labour secretary resigns over Epstein affair
Alex Acosta has said that he will step down as US Labour Secretary.
1 min read
Trump stood by Acosta as the labour secretary stepped down [Getty]
US Labour Secretary Alex Acosta on Friday resigned his post following links to disgraced businessman Jeffrey Epstein.
Acosta has faced criticism over a secret plea deal he negotiated a decade ago with Epstein, the financier accused of sexually abusing young girls.
"I called the president this morning and told him that I thought the right thing was to step aside," Acosta said standing alongside President Donald Trump at the White House.
Trump praised Acosta as a "great, great" labour secretary, saying he had made clear his intention to resign as the affair was serving as "a distraction".
Deputy Labour Secretary Patrick Pizzella was named by Trump as acting secretary of labour.
Epstein is accused of running a sex-trafficking network on child victims, paying girls as young as 14 for sex.
Acosta has faced criticism over a secret plea deal he negotiated a decade ago with Epstein, the financier accused of sexually abusing young girls.
"I called the president this morning and told him that I thought the right thing was to step aside," Acosta said standing alongside President Donald Trump at the White House.
Trump praised Acosta as a "great, great" labour secretary, saying he had made clear his intention to resign as the affair was serving as "a distraction".
Deputy Labour Secretary Patrick Pizzella was named by Trump as acting secretary of labour.
Epstein is accused of running a sex-trafficking network on child victims, paying girls as young as 14 for sex.
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