April 3, 2018 / 2:22 PM / in an hour

Trump reassured embattled EPA leader Pruitt in call Monday night: administration official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump called embattled Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt on Monday night with a reassuring message, an administration official said on Tuesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) listens to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt after announcing his decision that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

“Scott, keep your head up. Keep fighting. We’ve got your back,” Trump told Pruitt, according to the official.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly phoned Pruitt on Tuesday morning to reinforce the message, the official said.

Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama