President Trump announces Health and Human Services Secretary nominee

President Trump has announced on Twitter that he is nominating Alex Azar for the next Health and Human Services Secretary. The previous secretary, Tom Price resigned late September amid criticism of his travel on private planes.

Azar was the former Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary under George W. Bush and until 2017, was the president of Lilly USA, LLC, a large pharmaceutical company.

Price had been dogged by criticism over a pattern of booking costly charter flights for official travel. On the day of his resignation, President Donald Trump said he would be soon of a decision on the fate of Price.

Tom Price's partial repayment and public regrets couldn't save his job.

The Health and Human Services secretary became the first member of the president's Cabinet to leave office in a turbulent young administration that has seen several high-ranking White House aides ousted. Price served less than 8 months.

Trump had said he was "not happy" with Price for hiring private charters on the taxpayer's dime for official travel, when cheaper commercial flights would have worked.

The flap over Price has overshadowed Trump's agenda and prompted scrutiny of other Cabinet members' travel. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has launched a broad investigation of top political appointees.

On Monday, Trump stated that Azar, "Will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!"