Trump’s MARAD chief resigns amid U.S. Capitol insurrection

By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent

Following the ongoing fallout from a deadly invasion of the U.S. Capitol Building by far-right and pro-Trump rioters, the chief of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has officially resigned in protest to the events of January 6.

Rear Adm. Mark Buzby (U.S. Navy, Ret.) resigned his position as the U.S. Maritime Administrator, citing that the misconduct of President Donald Trump in inciting the deadly flash between rioters and Capitol police.

“I no longer believe that I am able to serve as a member of the administration while remaining true to the values which have been the core of my service to the people of our nation,” said Buzby in a statement obtained by several media outlets, including The Maritime Executive and the team here at Maritime Direct.

MARAD, an agency under the Department of Transportation, is a crucial domestic and foreign support agency that manages and maintains the country’s merchant marine service and the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NRDF). NRDF is a civilian fleet that can be activated upon the request of the United States government to augment defense shipping capabilities during international incidents.

MARAD also manages the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY.

Buzby, a former flag officer in the Navy, was appointed to lead MARAD by the Trump administration in 2017.

Buzby and Chao follow a similar line

Following the events of January 6, Buzby joined with now-former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao (who served as a deputy in MARAD and the chair of the Federal Maritime Commission) to officially resign their positions as of January 11, 2021.

“Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed,” reads a draft of an email that Chao is said to have intended to send to all of her staff within the Department of Transportation, speaking to the events of January 6.

The text of the email was provided to reporters and media outlets via an anonymous source close to Chao.

“As I’m sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside,” Chao added.

Chao and Buzby, both high-profile maritime industry advocates and bureaucrats, are two noteworthy resignations from the Trump administration after President Trump seemingly held up the rioters and inciting violence against police officers, innocent bystanders, and members of Congress.

Secretary-designee Pete Buttigieg, the incoming Transportation Department chief under the Biden administration, will assume power over the department and its various functions — including the further implementation of the U.S. government’s maritime policy.

President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the U.S. president on January 20, 2021.

Currently, Department of Transportation general counsel Steven Bradbury was named the acting secretary of transportation leading into the new regime under Buttigieg and Biden.