UPDATED: AP sources: Trump says Price's travel becoming a distraction [View all]

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press



By JONATHAN LEMIRE and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has been telling associates that his health chief has become a distraction, overshadowing his agenda and undermining his campaign promise to “drain the swamp” of corruption, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price was trying to hang on to his job Friday amid continuing questions over his use of private charter flights on official business at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars. Other cabinet secretaries scrambled to explain their own charter flights, and a House committee pressed ahead with a government-wide travel investigation.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke dismissed the controversy over charter flights as “a little BS over travel,” but he said that taxpayers do have the right to know official travel costs.

Price had offered public regrets and a partial repayment Thursday, but that didn’t seem to calm the furor, particularly in the White House.

Read more: https://apnews.com/8c77dc02b5fa44128647dc4a6780d66c/AP-sources:-Trump-says-Price's-travel-becoming-a-distraction

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UPDATE:

Trump to make decision Friday on firing Price

BY BRANDON CARTER AND PETER SULLIVAN - 09/29/17 03:33 PM EDT

President Trump said Friday he would decide “tonight” whether to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

“He’s a very fine man. We’re going to make a decision sometime tonight,” Trump told reporters, according to a White House pool report.

"I certainly don't like the optics. I'm not happy, I can tell you that. I'm not happy," Trump continued.

Price is under criticism for his use of private and military aircraft for government travel.

Politico reported that Price has used military flights for multiple overseas trips costing taxpayers more than $500,000, bringing his total travel tab to over $1 million since May.

more
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/353147-trump-on-whether-hell-fire-price-well-make-a-decision-tonight