U.S. President Donald Trump‘s scandal-hit health secretary, Tom Price had to leave the President’s administration Friday, amid a scandal over his use of expensive private jets for government travel. Price is the latest top official to leave the administration – others who also left as a result of one scandal or self-inflicted wound since Mr Trump took over in January.

Price is the latest top official to leave the administration – others who also left as a result of one scandal or self-inflicted wound since Trump took over in January.

However, the wealthy orthopaedic surgeon and former lawmaker from Georgia is the most senior official to leave so far.

Price, 62, announced his retirement less than an hour after Trump told reporters that Price had not offered to resign, but that his fate would be decided later on Friday.

The scandal that hit Price had been brewing for days after it emerged that he had repeatedly used taxpayer funds to hire chartered jets.

He had flown on 26 separate trips this year on private aircraft, totalling about $400,000, according to Politico.

Price tried to cover up the scandal by paying back what a fraction of the costs.

Price’s department said the trips were for government business, but some of the destinations were his own property or where he met his family.

Aside from that, Price had been involved in Trump’s failed efforts to outlaw Obamacare.

Trump had earlier said Price’s job was not secured. “I don’t like the optics,” he said on Friday. “I’m not happy, I can tell you, I’m not happy”.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram