Exclusive - U.S. Air Force Secretary Wilson to resign, eyes return to academia

By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, long considered a top candidate to become the next secretary of defence, has decided to resign after about two years leading a service at the heart of America's campaigns in Syria and Afghanistan, a U.S. official told Reuters.

Wilson, who aims to return to academia, was not asked to leave by anyone in President Donald Trump's administration and was not resigning under pressure, the official told Reuters.

She plans to step down on May 31, if the University of Texas Board of Regents approves her selection to be president of University of Texas at El Paso, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; editing by Jonathan Oatis)