Ryan Zinke: US interior secretary 'spent $12,000 on flight'

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Zinke is reported to have used costly charter flights when on government business

A row over Trump administration officials' use of charter flights for business trips has deepened amid reports of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's use of the costly option.

Mr Zinke flew from Las Vegas to Montana last June on a charter that cost taxpayers more than $12,000, according to Politico and the Washington Post.

Earlier, Health Secretary Tom Price apologised for his private plane trips.

He said he would reimburse taxpayers and fly commercial in future.

An investigation by Politico found Mr Price had taken at least 24 private flights since early May at a cost to taxpayers of $300,000 (£223,000).

President Donald Trump had said he was "not happy" with Mr Price's travel costs.

'No commercial options'

As well as the Vegas-Montana trip - a route served by commercial flights - Mr Zinke is also reported to have used charter flights between St Croix and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands in March, and a military aircraft to travel to Norway in May.

US government officials are expected to take commercial flights for work-related travel, unless they are dealing with national security matters,.

"As with previous interior secretaries, the secretary travelled on charter flights when there were no commercial options available," Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift said in a statement.

"All travel is pre-approved by the ethics office before booking and the charter flights went through an additional level of due diligence."

Image copyright AFP Image caption Mr Trump said he was unhappy with his health secretary's travel costs

Two other members of Mr Trump's cabinet are under scrutiny by inspectors for their use of private planes while on the job:

• Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is accused of flying with his wife to view last month's solar eclipse
• Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has spent more than $58,000 on non-commercial travel

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, responding to the latest revelations, urged Mr Trump "to emphasise to cabinet secretaries the necessity of using reasonable and cost-effective modes of travel in accordance with federal restrictions".

from BBC News - World http://ift.tt/2xLuuhc