President Trump said Friday he still has confidence in embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, telling reporters he’s standing by the agency chief despite a rash of negative headlines and internal investigations.
“Yes, I do,” the president said when asked if he still has faith in Mr. Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma who has delighted conservatives with his push to roll back Obama-era climate regulations.
But Mr. Pruitt also faces nearly a dozen separate EPA inspector general investigations, including probes into his use of first-class travel, an expensive taxpayer-funded security detail, his construction of a $43,000 soundproof phone booth in his office, whether he approved controversial raises for two top aides, and a host of other issues.
At least four congressional Republicans have called on Mr. Pruitt to resign, as have most Democrats on Capitol Hill.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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