Another Trump aide out after abuse allegations; speechwriter accused by ex-wife

WASHINGTON — A second White House staffer has departed the Trump administration in the wake of abuse allegations.

Spokesman Raj Shah confirms speechwriter David Sorensen resigned Friday after the White House learned of the allegations against him.

Shah says Sorensen denies the allegations, which were first reported by The Washington Post.

The Post says Sorensen’s ex-wife claimed he was violent and emotionally abusive during their short-lived marriage.

Staff secretary Rob Porter, one of the President Donald Trump’s closest aides, resigned Wednesday after the publication of allegations that he’d abused his two ex-wives. He, too, denies the allegations.

Also on Friday, the White House announced that former deputy staff secretary Derek Lyons has been promoted to acting staff secretary to replace Porter. Lyons, a Harvard Law School grad, previously worked as a senior adviser to Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential campaign and Sen. Rob Portman, according to his Linkedin profile.

The announcement came as part of a slew of promotions announced by the White House Wednesday evening.

Trump has also tapped former Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Carroll to serve as the next drug czar.

White House chief of staff John Kelly, meanwhile said Porter’s resignation came within an hour of Kelly earning about new accusations of spousal abuse.

Kelly told reporters he learned Tuesday night Porter had allegedly abused two ex-wives. “Forty minutes later he was gone,” Kelly said.

The White House announced Wednesday that Porter had resigned. That same day, it issued a statement from Kelly praising Porter.

Kelly’s handling of the Porter matter has cast a harsh spotlight on the chief of staff, who has recently drawn the ire of Trump.

But a White House official said Friday that Kelly has not offered his resignation.

Porter has denied the allegations and blamed a “smear campaign” against him.

The aftershocks of Porter’s resignation continue amid concerns about his access to classified information.

Kelly himself faced criticism for initially defending his aide — only to later shift course after the publication of photos showing one of Porter’s ex-wives with a black eye.