White House: Obama has 'full confidence' in Energy Secretary Chu

The White House stressed Friday that President Obama still has “full confidence” in Energy Secretary Chu, who took responsibility this week for the decision to restructure a $535 million loan guarantee for the now-bankrupt solar firm Solyndra.

“Chu does have the president's full confidence,” White House press Secretary Jay Carney said Friday during his daily briefing.

An Energy Department spokesman told The Washington Post and Politico this week that Chu approved a decision to restructure the Solyndra loan guarantee in February amid signs that the company faced financial troubles.

Republicans have blasted the administration for restructuring the loan, noting that the agreement ensures that major investors get paid back before taxpayers in the event of a default. But DOE spokesman Damien LaVera told the Post that the move "put the company in a better position to repay the loan." Solyndra filed for bankruptcy this month and laid off 1,100 workers.

Carney, at Friday’s briefing, said that Chu ultimately greenlighted the decision to restructure the loan because he is the head of the Energy Department. He stressed that career staffers at the department played a major role in the decision.

“[H]e is the head of that department, the department which, as we have made clear, where career professionals have administered the program, reviewed the loan applications, and made the recommendation,” Carney said.

“Obviously, ultimately, the head of that department is responsible for it, but let's be clear: There were numerous people involved who were career professionals and — and worked on those kinds of issues every day.”

Carney’s remarks come as Republicans are pummeling the administration over Solyndra's failure.

They are increasingly looking into the role that Chu played in the loan guarantee. Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel hope to bring in Chu to testify.

Read more about the growing pressure on Chu here.