President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is "not happy" with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price's use of tax-payer funded private planes for travel.
"I was looking into it and I will look into it. I will tell you personally, I'm not happy about it," Trump said. "I'm going to look at it. I am not happy about it and I let him know it."
Price first came under scrutiny last week when a Politico article revealed that the secretary, on a regular basis, has taken private, chartered flights to conduct official business, rather than using cheaper commercial airlines. The practice is out of step with that of previous HHS secretaries, according to Politico. Subsequent reporting revealed Price combined personal visits with his work, using chartered flights for personal matters.
"When commercial aircraft cannot reasonably accommodate travel requirements, charter aircraft can be used for official travel," an HHS spokesperson told Politico.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has disclaimed the White House's responsibility for the private flights, telling reporters on Monday, "This wasn’t White House-approved travel."
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee announced an official investigation into Price and other cabinet officials' use of private jets.