(CNN) Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney earned a show of support from his colleagues on Monday after facing days of withering criticism over his fraught attempts to walk back last week's stunning admission to a quid pro quo involving security aid to Ukraine.

During a senior staff meeting early Monday, Mulvaney brought up the press coverage he has faced and acknowledged that it was a "tough week," two senior White House officials said. Senior staffers in the meeting responded with a round of applause, which the officials characterized as a show of support for the embattled chief of staff.

The staff meeting came amid reports that President Donald Trump and some of his allies are increasingly frustrated with Mulvaney , putting the acting chief of staff in a precarious position a little over a month after unrelated frustrations with Mulvaney had already sent top White House aides scouring for potential Mulvaney replacements.

Mulvaney was present for a lunchtime Cabinet meeting, where the President ignored shouted questions about Mulvaney's future in the administration

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement to CNN over the weekend that Mulvaney "is still the acting chief of staff and has the President's confidence."

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