White House aide resigns after allegations of spousal abuse

White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, (center), and President Donald Trump. Photo / AP

A senior White House official said that he would resign after his two ex-wives accused him of physical and emotional abuse.

The official, Rob Porter, served as the staff secretary, functioning as Chief of Staff John Kelly's chief enforcer in their shared mission to instill discipline and order in what had become a chaotic West Wing.

He is the gatekeeper to the Oval Office, determining which articles and policy proposals fall into President Donald Trump's hands and pre-screening the briefing materials that his visitors share with him.

Aides had been aware generally of accusations against Porter since late last year, White House advisers said, but learned of the specifics on Wednesday when approached by a reporter from the Daily Mail, which first detailed many of the allegations.

Porter's ex-wives said they informed the FBI in January 2017 of their allegations against him while they were being interviewed by agents as part of Porter's security clearance review. It was unclear when or whether the FBI informed the White House.

Porter's ex-wives described him as having a dark side and, at times, a violent streak that White House aides say they did not see. Porter's first wife, Colbie Holderness, said that he was continually abusive during their marriage. She alleged he punched in her the face in 2005 and had photos showing her with a black eye.

Porter denied the accusations but said he was stepping down, although it's unclear when he will leave. "These outrageous allegations are simply false. I took the photos ... and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described," he said.

Porter's second wife, Jennie Willoughby, received a temporary emergency protective order in 2010 after saying he refused to leave her residence, in violation of their separation agreement. She said he broke her window.

The document concludes that "reasonable grounds exist to believe that [Porter] has committed family abuse".