Tom Price's private flight reimbursement may not save him from Trump's wrath

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has promised to reimburse the federal government for the costs of chartering expensive private jets, a face-saving move that is unlikely to satisfy President Trump's desire to make an example out of him, according to several people familiar with the situation.

In a statement late Thursday, Price said American taxpayers "won't pay a dime" for the five recent occasions on which he chose to travel via private jet for government-related business. The statement came nearly 10 days after his expensive method of travel was first reported.

His spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley later clarified that Price will only pay "his share of the travel," a sum close to $52,000. Oakley said the reimbursement was not to be taken as an admission of wrongdoing.

"What the secretary has done is say that while all of this travel was approved by legal and HHS officials, the secretary has heard taxpayers' concerns and wants to be responsive to them," Oakley explained.

According to Politico, Price has flown nearly two dozen times on private aircraft since May for a grand total of more than $400,000. At least two other Cabinet-level officials – EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin – have been scrutinized for using private planes to conduct government business.