Trump did not give a reason for Zinke's departure. "The Trump administration will be announcing the new secretary of the Interior next week," he added. Zinke has run the Interior Department overseeing America’s vast public lands since early 2017. He has pursued Trump’s agenda to promote oil drilling and coal mining by expanding federal leasing, cutting royalty rates, and easing land protections. The Department of Justice and the Interior Department have declined to comment.

Source: Irish Independent December 15, 2018 15:11 UTC