The senior Secret Service official Tony Ornato defied agency policy to serve as a political adviser during the administration of former President Donald Trump.
Ornato, who was also the focus of testimony by former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson about Trump's actions on the January 6 mayhem at the Capitol, announced his retirement on Monday.
The Secret Service official said that the 25-year federal law enforcement veteran, who worked for five presidents, leaves the organization in "excellent standing" after becoming eligible for retirement earlier this year.
The announcement of his resignation as head of training comes after the declaration of Kim Cheatle as President Biden's subsequent choice to head the agency.
After Hutchinson, a senior adviser to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows testified about her conversations with Ornato.
As Trump's deputy chief of staff when the attack on the United States occurred, Ornato came under increasing scrutiny from the House Select Committee on January 6 in Capitol.
On January 6, shortly after Trump returned from his speech at the White House, Hutchinson met with Ornato and Robert Engel, the Secret Service special agent in charge, according to her testimony before the committee.
Hutchinson claims that Ornato told her during the discussion that the president had been "irate" on the way back to the White House after being informed that he could not visit the Capitol.
Hutchinson remembered that he reportedly said, "I'm the f***ing president, take me up to the Capitol immediately."
She cited Ornato once more and added that after being informed he had to return to the West Wing, Trump went up to the front of the car to grasp the steering wheel, which prompted Engel to grab his arm.
She also said Ornato "motioned towards his clavicles" when describing the incident, adding that the president threw his free hand forward to lunge at Engel.
However, the Secret Service disputed Hutchinson's sworn testimony, which indicated that Ornato and Engel would be eager to testify. However, neither had since come before the select committee, according to three sources briefed on the situation.
Murray's resignation coincides with a Department of Homeland Security investigation into the removal of thousands of text messages by American authorities.
Despite demands from investigators and Congress to preserve the texts, two dozen Secret Service agents' texts, including those of Ornato, were subpoenaed by the House Select Committee on January 6 last month.
