(CNN) President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Labor Secretary Alex Acosta has been "excellent" and a "very good Secretary of Labor," but as for the labor secretary's future in light of charges filed against Jeffrey Epstein, Trump would only say that the White House would be looking at his role in the 2008 case "very closely."

"I can tell you that for two-and-a-half years he's been just an excellent secretary of labor, he's done a fantastic job," he told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with the Emir of Qatar. "Now part of it is our economy is so good, our unemployment numbers are at record lows, so many good things are happening but the fact is he's been a very good secretary of labor."

Acosta is facing renewed scrutiny for his role in handling a 2008 plea agreement for Epstein, who was charged Monday with having allegedly operated a sex trafficking ring in which he allegedly sexually abused dozens of underage girls. As a US attorney in Florida more than a decade ago, Acosta helped the multimillionaire Epstein secure a non-prosecution deal for similar charges, described as a "deal of a lifetime" by an investigative report in the Miami Herald last year. Epstein ultimately served only 13 months and avoided a federal trial.

The President has privately said he has confidence in Acosta, according to people familiar with his remarks. He is making a similar argument to what he said in the Oval Office Tuesday -- downplaying Acosta's role in Epstein's plea deal, which, as a federal prosecutor, he oversaw.

Trump said Tuesday that "a lot" of people were involved in the 2008 case in addition to Acosta.

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