Washington: Embattled US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has resigned amid an uproar over his use of private and military jets at taxpayer expense while heading one of the US's largest government agencies.

Price, 62, quit after it was revealed by Politico that he took more than two dozen private flights at taxpayer expense as well as trips to Europe, Africa and Asia on military aircraft, at a total cost of more than $US1 million. It comes a day after he said he would reimburse the government for the flight and as the HHS department's Office of Inspector General and Congress launched investigations.

US President Donald Trump with then Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price in the Oval Office in March. Credit:AP

Price is the first cabinet secretary to leave the administration, though President Donald Trump's volatile White House has already seen the departure of several top staffers.

Trump had hinted earlier in the day that Price's time with the administration could be close to coming to an end. Asked whether he had sought Price's resignation, the President said, "no, but we'll see what happens later on."