Labor Secretary's top aide abruptly resigns -- and Trump insiders knife him on his way out

The top aide to Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta has abruptly resigned -- and Trump White House officials wasted no time in trashing him on his way out the door.

Axios' Jonathan Swan reports that Labor Department official Nick Geale is stepping down after officials inside the White House have been complaining that the department hasn't been moving fast enough to implement its agenda on deregulating labor markets.

One source described as "close to Trump" suggested that Geale may not be the only problem at the department, while also accusing Acosta of being too deferential to labor unions.

"The pace of change has not been sufficient," the official said. "[Acosta] tends to be fairly fearful of taking hardline positions. He tends to be solicitous of the unions, often making the argument that that's what the president wants."

Swan further writes that right-wing White House officials believe "Acosta hasn't cracked down hard enough against unions and has been too cautious to implement deregulatory policies that might spark a uproar on Capitol Hill."

Read the whole report here.