Trump announces departure of Energy Secretary Rick Perry

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said Thursday Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who has been caught up the impeachment probe engulfing the US president, was standing down, marking the latest departure of a senior figure from the administration.

“Rick has done a fantastic job at Energy but it was time — three years is a long time,” Trump said, speaking in Texas. “We already have his replacement.”

The announcement came a day after the publication of an interview in which Perry said that — on Trump´s orders — he had communicated with the president´s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani over alleged corruption in Ukraine