© Leah Millis / ReutersRod Rosenstein
Rosenstein verbally resigned to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Monday morning, Axios reported. Rosenstein's as-yet unconfirmed resignation came as he had been "expecting to be fired," claimed Axios' source.
The resignation also comes days after a New York Times report revealed that Rosenstein suggested secretly recording President Trump in the White House to build a case for invoking the 25th Amendment and removing Trump from office for being unfit. Rosenstein allegedly suggested the secret recording in April of last year, after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley denied that anyone within Trump's administration actually discussed using the 25th Amendment to topple the president, and called such rumors "absurd."
The story was denied by Rosenstein, but was touted by a number of Trump supporters as reason to fire the Deputy AG.
At a campaign-style rally in Missouri on Friday, Trump vowed to rid the Justice Department of "a lingering stench," and clean it of "really bad people." Trump did not name Rosenstein explicitly, but promised to take action.
Trump has voiced frustration with the Department of Justice in recent weeks, not just with Rosenstein, but also with Attorney General Jeff Sessions.Trump has blasted Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, and for allowing Democrats within the department to "subvert" his administration.
NYT + anonymous sources = fake news