Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned Friday afternoon after serving eight months in the Trump administration.
Price's resignation comes after reports that he had taken taxpayer-funded trips using private and military jets.
Here is the resignation letter Price submitted to the office of President Donald Trump on Friday.
Re: Official Resignation of Thomas E. Price, M.D., Secretary of Health and Human Services
Dear Mr. President:
It is an honor and privilege to serve you as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Under your leadership, the Department is working aggressively to improve the health and well-being of all Americans. This includes working to reform a broken health care system, empower patients, reduce regulatory burdens, ensure global health security, and tackle clinical priorities such as the opioids epidemic,serious mental illness and childhood obesity.
I have spent forty years both as a doctor and public servant putting people first. I regret that the recent events have created a distraction from these important objectives.
Success on these issues is more important than any one person. In order for you to move forward without further disruption, I am officially tendering my resignation as the Secretary of Health and Human Services effective 11:59 PM on Friday, September 29, 2017.
You may rest assured that I will continue to support your critical priorities going ahead because failure is not an option for the American people.
Yours truly,
Thomas E. Price,M.D.
Price thanked President Trump on Twitter Friday afternoon with a copy of his statement.
Don Wright of Virginia will serve as acting Health and Human Services secretary, according to an official White House statement.
About the Author
