US President Barack Obama said he would not accept Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's resignation if it was offered, according to excerpts from a television interview to be broadcast on Sunday.
The Treasury secretary has been under fire from some lawmakers for for failing to block millions of dollars in bonuses to employees of insurance giant AIG which received billions in government aid.
US television network CBS, which secured the interview, said the president told its 60 Minutes programme that neither he nor Timothy Geithner had mentioned his resignation from his Treasury post.
But Mr Obama said if Mr Geithner tried to resign, he would tell him: "Sorry buddy, you've still got the job."
The president has repeatedly defended Mr Geithner's handling of the AIG bonus scandal.
