President Donald Trump's health secretary, seeking to tamp down a broadening scandal over his use of expensive private jets for government travel, said Thursday he would reimburse federal coffers for the expenses.

"I regret the concerns this has raised regarding the use of taxpayer dollars," Tom Price said in a statement, a day after Trump expressed displeasure that Price took 26 flights on private aircraft at the reported cost of about $400,000.

"Today, I will write a personal check to the US Treasury for the expenses of my travel on private charter planes."