Following the firestorm created by the scandal surrounding the Trump administration misuse of taxpayer funds, president Trump distanced himself from the ousted Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, saying that he was “very unhappy with the optics of the scandal.” But there is a problem.
The White House approved the use of military aircraft for multi-national trips by Tom Price to Africa and Europe this spring, and to Asia in the summer, at a cost of more than $500,000 to taxpayers, Politico reports.
While President Trump has been publicly critical of Price’s use of chartered and military aircraft on domestic and international flights, a White House official revealed to Politico that Trump approved the flights.
According to the official, Price’s wife, Betty, accompanied him on the military flights, while other members of the secretary’s delegation flew commercially to Europe.
HHS spokeswoman Charmaine Yoest said the use of military aircraft — known as Milair — was necessary both for Price’s security and his ability to communicate with the department.
“In both instances, those were Milair flights that were pre-approved,” said Yoest… Milair is important for maintaining security and having secure communications, as well.”
But one of Price’s recent predecessors, Kathleen Sebelius, who served for five years under President Barack Obama, never took a military plane on her many trips overseas; she always flew commercially.
RELATED: Tom Price Resigns.
