Tom Price, the U.S. health and human services secretary, has resigned on Friday the White House said.
The announcement came after President Donald Trump had repeatedly said he was “not happy” with Price for using private, chartered planes for government business.
In a statement from the White House, Trump named deputy assistant health secretary Don J. Wright to be acting health secretary.
WATCH: Tom Price resigns shortly after Trump says he’s ‘not happy’ over scandal
Price’s scandal emerged earlier this month, when it was revealed that he took a charter plane instead of commercial flights.
On Thursday, he vowed to pay back US$51,887.31 to the taxpayers – which is related to to 10 trips with 26 different segments.
“I regret the concerns this has raised regarding the use of taxpayer dollars,” Price said at the time.
“The taxpayers won’t pay a dime for my seat on those planes.”
But that wasn’t enough for the president, who only responded to questions about Price’s future with a “We’ll see.”
Washington news media outlet Politico has reported that Price had taken at least two dozen private charter flights since May at a cost to U.S. taxpayers of more than $400,000.
Price had also been seen in the White House as having been ineffective in getting Congress to pass healthcare reform legislation, an effort that has fizzled on Capitol Hill.
Price isn’t the only Trump official whose travel is under scrutiny. Trips by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt have also drawn criticism.
The Washington Post reported on Friday that Veterans Affairs secretary David Shulkin also had questionable travel expenses as he brought his wife on a cruise while on a 10-day trip to discuss veterans’ issues in Britain.
*With files from Reuters and the Associated Press
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