From today’s New York Times by Peter Baker:
Tom Price, the health and human services secretary, resigned under pressure on Friday after racking up at least $400,000 in travel bills for chartered flights and undermining President Trumpâs promise to drain the swamp of a corrupt and entitled capital.
Already in trouble with Mr. Trump for months of unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace President Barack Obamaâs health care program, Mr. Price failed to defuse the presidentâs anger over his high-priced travel by agreeing to pay a portion of the cost and expressing âregretâ for his actions.
âIâm not happy, O.K.?â Mr. Trump told reporters as he was about to head to his New Jersey golf club for the weekend, barely an hour before the resignation was announced. âI can tell you, Iâm not happy.â He called Mr. Price âa very good manâ but added that the secretaryâs offer to reimburse the government for just part of the cost of the flights âwould be unacceptable.â
The White House announcement of Mr. Priceâs departure was spare, with none of the customary praise of his work or thanks for his service. The statement issued by the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said simply that Mr. Price had âoffered his resignation earlier today and the president accepted.â
Mr. Trump tapped Don J. Wright, a deputy assistant secretary for health and the director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, to serve as acting secretary. Possible candidates for a successor include Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Read the complete article here.