Trump campaign aide Clovis withdraws from consideration for USDA Job

Former Trump campaign aide Sam Clovis has withdrawn from consideration to be the Department of Agriculture's chief scientist, according to a letter Clovis sent on Wednesday to President Donald Trump.

Clovis has come under criticism recently for his lack of science credentials and for his role supervising George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser who struck a plea deal on charges he lied to FBI investigators about his communications with Russia-linked contacts.

"The political climate inside Washington has made it impossible for me to receive balanced and fair consideration for this position," Clovis wrote. "The relentless assaults on you and your team seem to be a blood sport that only increases in intensity each day."