Ryan Zinke, Interior Secretary, Leaving Trump Administration

Ryan Zinke, President Donald Trump's embattled Interior Secretary, is leaving the administration at the end of the year. Trump announced via Twitter that Zinke's replacement will be announced next week.

Zinke, who is the target of multiple ethics investigations, joins a long list of officials leaving the Trump administration for facing such inquiries. Zinke is facing federal investigations into his travel, political activity and potential conflicts of interest, according to The Associated Press.

Zinke is leaving weeks before Democrats take control of the House, a shift in power that promises to sharpen the probes into his conduct. His departure comes amid a staff shake-up as Trump heads into his third year in office facing increased legal exposure due to intensifying investigations into his campaign, business, foundation and administration.

Zinke, 57, played a leading part in Trump's efforts to roll back environmental regulations and promote domestic energy development. When he recently traveled to survey damage from California's wildfires, Zinke echoed Trump's claims that lax forest management was to blame in the devastation. Fire scientists, however, say forest management was not a leading contributor.

Zinke pushed to develop oil, natural gas and coal beneath public lands in line with the administration's business-friendly aims. But he has been dogged by ethics probes, including one centered on a Montana land deal involving a foundation he created and the chairman of an energy services company that does business with the Interior Department.

The Associated Press reported last month that the department's internal watchdog had referred an investigation of Zinke to the Justice Department.

Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was used in this story.

Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press