Trump had very different responses to the chartered flight controversies of 2 of his Cabinet secretaries

Donald
Trump.
Pool/Getty
Images

President Donald Trump on Sunday addressed the multiple
controversies facing top officials in his administration
over their chartering of private flights.

Asked about the controversy surrounding Treasury Secretary Steve
Mnuchin, whose August 15 use of a government jet from New York to
Washington, DC, is under investigation, Trump said “he didn’t
take the flight” although he added that “I don’t know much about
it.”

“Oh, I don’t think he took the flight,” Trump said, according to
a pool report. “I think if you check your records, he didn’t take
the flight. Why don’t you check your records before you…”

The pool reporter cut in, adding that Mnuchin did indeed take the
flight from New York to Washington, DC.

“Why don’t you check your records before you make a statement,”
Trump continued. “As I understood it — I don’t know much about it
— I haven’t heard about it, but I understand he never took that
flight.”

Mnuchin’s use of the Air Force C-37 Jet cost taxpayers
$25,000. Trump’s Treasury secretary was asked about the
ordeal during an interview with ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday,
saying that it was a necessary flight for national security
purposes.

“There are times when I need secure communications to be in touch
with the president and National Security Council,” Mnuchin said.
“I had a secure call that day that was critical and set up. It
needed to be done at that time, and that’s why I used it.”

In addition to that flight, which Mnuchin confirmed is under
review, at least two other requests to charter flights are
under review, ABC News reported.

“The inspector general is reviewing my travel,” Mnuchin said. “If
there’s suggestions we’ll follow it.”

The Treasury Department’s review of Mnuchin’s travel began after
it was revealed that he and his wife, Louise Linton, used a
government plane to travel to Louisville and Fort Knox, Kentucky
in August. Investigators are also looking into why Mnuchin made a
request for a government jet for his honeymoon trip to Europe
with Linton earlier in August.

Mnuchin has denied that he
flew to Kentucky to watch the solar eclipse, which many have
speculated was the reason for his trip to the Bluegrass State.
A spokesperson for
Mnuchin has said the honeymoon request was made in the name
of national security, similarly to the New York flight, saying
that a government plane was necessary so he could communicate
securely with Washington officials.

In any case, Trump appeared to conflate the honeymoon request,
which did not result in Mnuchin using a government plane, and the
brief flight from New York to Washington, DC that Mnuchin took
last month.

He did not, however, provide much defense for Health and Human
Services Secretary Tom Price, who is caught up in a nearly
identical controversy.

“As far as Sec. Price is concerned, that’s different,” Trump said
Sunday. “We’re looking into it.”

Price has come under
fire for his frequent chartered flights, which can cost
taxpayers more than $25,000 each.
Politico reported earlier this week that he opted for private
travel over commercial flights 24 times since early May,
including five such flights last week.

One was from Washington, DC to Philadelphia, just a 135-mile
trip. Price’s trips also included flights to New Hampshire and a
resort in Maine.

Before joining Trump’s administration, Price served as a
Republican congressman from Georgia. As a member of Congress, he
railed against what he called frivolous government spending,
including
similar private travel by fellow members.

Price too has come under review, as his department’s inspector
general’s office is reviewing his use of private jets to see if
they violated any government travel regulations.

On Saturday, Price told Fox News
that he would cease chartering flights while that investigation
is ongoing. 

“We’ve heard the criticism,” Price said. We’ve heard the
concerns, and we take that very seriously and have taken it to
heart.”

Asked if he respects the inspector general investigations, Trump
said, “Always. Always.”