White House Aide Porter Out After Domestic Abuse Accusations

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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - A top aide in the Trump White House has resigned following allegations of domestic violence.

Staff Secretary Rob Porter, who has denied the accusations, decided to step down after his two ex-wives came forward with accusations of physical abuse.

"I think that was a personal decision that Rob made and one that he was not pressured to do but one that he made on his own," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

Porter's first wife, Colbie Holderness, shared photos with The Intercept website which showed what her face looked like after Porter allegedly punched her while on vacation.

In a statement, Porter said "these outrageous allegations are simply false," adding he "took the photos given to the media nearly 15 years ago and the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described."

Porter's second wife, Jennifer Willoughby, told the Washington Post that she became aware of his temper within a matter of weeks of getting married.

"He came and grabbed me by the shoulders here and pulled me out of the shower in a rage," she told the Post.

As Staff Secretary, Porter would handle all of the papers that end up on the President's desk, including classified materials. It's unclear if he ever received full security clearance.

Chief of Staff John Kelly initially called Porter "a man of integrity," but later said he was "shocked by the new allegations" even though the FBI shared accusations against Porter with the White House in November. It's unclear what "new allegations" Kelly was referring to.

Porter said he will leave the White House after a transition period.