The White House’s travel headache is growing with new revelations about top officials’ use of military aircraft.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, whose use of taxpayer-funded private jets drew the ire of President Donald Trump, now faces scrutiny for using military jets that reportedly put his total travel tab above $1 million.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is also drawing attention, as a report said he took private or military planes at least four times, costing taxpayers more than $58,000.
And Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke chartered a domestic flight on a plane owned by energy executives, another report said.
It all follows scrutiny of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s travel earlier this year, and threatens to distract from this week’s rollout of a tax plan with heightened importance to Republicans after their failure to repeal Obamacare and fulfill a key campaign pledge.
Foreign Trip
Price used military planes -- with White House approval -- to travel to Africa, Europe and Asia this year, Politico reported Thursday. The trips were to discuss global health security and other issues with leaders in various countries, an HHS spokesperson said.
The news came hours after Price said he would reimburse taxpayers for a fraction of the cost of his domestic flights aboard private aircraft. Price will pay $51,887.31 for his share of the costs, according to HHS. There were at least 26 private flights since February with costs totaling more than $400,000, Politico reported.
The White House defended the use of military jets, saying the administration has reduced the number of such flights by officials compared to the Obama administration’s first eight months.
“Use of military aircraft for cabinet and other essential travelers is sometimes an appropriate and necessary use of resources,” said Raj Shah, a White House spokesman. “The White House reviews requests for military air travel closely and has limited support missions to travel that is central to the White House’s mission, such as for international trips and travel for which military air is necessary and appropriate.”