Perry to resign amid Trump impeachment inquiry

WASHINGTON—U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry told President Donald Trump on Thursday he intends to resign by the end of the year. Congress has subpoenaed Perry for documents, due Friday, related to the impeachment investigation of the president.

How is Perry involved? U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland told lawmakers on Thursday that the president directed him, Perry, and special envoy Kurt Volker to work with lawyer Rudy Giuliani on U.S. policy toward Ukraine, which is at the heart of the House Democrats’ impeachment case. Congress wants details of conversations Perry may have had with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. On Thursday, Mulvaney defended Trump’s past dealings with Ukraine in a tense news conference. “I have news for everybody: Get over it,” Mulvaney said. “There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.” He later clarified there was no quid pro quo with Ukraine over investigations into the president’s political rivals.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about lawmakers’ hearings with Trump administration aides in the investigation.