The announcement came as Pruitt is under increasing pressure to resign, over reports he paid just $50 a night to live in a Capitol Hill condominium linked to a prominent Washington lobbyist whose firm represents fossil fuel companies. Meanwhile, The Atlantic reports Pruitt bypassed the White House last month and used an obscure law to give big raises to his closest aides. Pruitt also used the provision to hire Nancy Beck, a longtime lobbyist for the chemical industry, as the deputy head of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention—in a move that allowed Beck to avoid signing a White House ethics pledge. On Tuesday, two Republican lawmakers from Florida joined a chorus of Democrats who are calling on Pruitt to resign over the mounting scandals. At the White House, a reporter asked President Trump about Pruitt’s future.
Reporter: “Scott Pruitt, sir? Do you support Scott Pruitt?”
President Donald Trump: “I hope he’s going to be great.”