FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at South Bend International Airport in Indiana, U.S., May 10, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that embattled Environmental Protection Agency Director Scott Pruitt still has his confidence.

Pruitt has been criticized for a series of potential ethics lapses, including flying first class, excessive spending on security, and the rental of a room in a Washington condominium owned by the wife of an energy lobbyist.

Asked during a meeting of automakers at the White House if he still has confidence in Pruitt, Trump responded: “Yes, I do.”