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Under fire for travel expenses, EPA’s Pruitt cancels trip to Israel

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt attends a meeting Feb. 12, 2018, with state and local officials in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Pruitt and his staffers took nearly $150,000 in commercial and charter flights over seven-months last year, including repeated trips to Pruitt's home state of Oklahoma, according to travel vouchers obtained by an environmental group. (Carolyn Kaster / AP)
By Juliet Eilperin and Ruth Eglash Washington Post

WASHINGTON – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has canceled a nearly weeklong trip to Israel, agency officials confirmed Sunday.

Pruitt, who had been scheduled to leave this weekend for an extensive tour of the Mideast ally, has come under fire over the past week for the cost of his domestic and international travel. In May, the head of Pruitt’s security detail recommended that he travel either business or first class whenever possible to avoid public confrontations with critics.

“We decided to postpone; the administrator looks forward to going in the future,” EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman said in an email Sunday. She did not provide a reason for the postponement.

A spokesman for Israeli’s Environment Ministry also confirmed that Pruitt had canceled his trip.

He was scheduled to stay in Jerusalem’s King David Hotel from Feb. 18 to 22, according to people in Israel briefed on his plans.

A week ago, an EPA official said the administrator intended to meet with government officials as well as private-sector representatives and visit multiple sites in Israel “to gain an understanding of Israel’s unique infrastructure and environmental challenges.” Those stops included a water recycling plant, a meeting with officials from Israeli water technology companies and a tour of a toxic land remediation site. Pruitt also planned to travel to the port of Haifa to see sustainability efforts there, the official said.

During a trip to New Hampshire on Tuesday, Pruitt emphasized that he did not make the choice himself to switch to more expensive flights.

“I’m not involved in any of those decisions,” he told the New Hampshire Union Leader. “Those are all made by the (security) detail, the security assessment in addition to the chief of staff.”