Mnuchin: I Requested Government Plane For ‘National Security’ Reasons

ARCHIV - US-Finanzminister Steven Mnuchin spricht am 18.03.2017 in Baden-Baden (Baden-Württemberg) im Kongresszentrum beim Treffen der G20-Finanzminister während einer Pressekonferenz. Unter dem Eindruck einer neue... ARCHIV - US-Finanzminister Steven Mnuchin spricht am 18.03.2017 in Baden-Baden (Baden-Württemberg) im Kongresszentrum beim Treffen der G20-Finanzminister während einer Pressekonferenz. Unter dem Eindruck einer neuen US-Wirtschaftspolitik trifft sich von Donnerstag an die internationale Finanzelite in Washington. Bei der Frühjahrstagung von Internationalem Währungsfonds und Weltbank wird unter anderem die globalisierungsfreundliche IWF-Chefin Lagarde mit US-Finanzminister Mnuchin diskutieren, der als Vertreter von Trumps Abschottungspolitik gilt. (zu dpa «IWF und Weltbank starten Frühjahrstagung in Washington» vom 19.04.2017) Photo by: Franziska Kraufmann/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images MORE LESS
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Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday acknowledged that he did initially request a government plane to travel to his honeymoon in Europe, but he said he only did so because he needed access to secure communications while abroad.

“I’m very sensitive to the use of government funds,” Mnuchin said Thursday at an event held by Politico. “I’ve never asked the government to pay for my personal travel, and this was purely about alternatives of how I’d be able to be involved for national security.”

Mnuchin said that he canceled his request for the plane after he found another solution for accessing secure communications.

The Treasury Department also said Thursday that Mnuchin requested a government plane so he could access secure communications.

“It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft,” a spokesman for the department said in a statement.

ABC News was first to report Wednesday that Mnuchin requested a government plane for his honeymoon trip with wife Louise Linton.

The report followed the couple’s trip to Kentucky in August on a government plane. Mnuchin attended a local chamber of commerce luncheon on the trip, but he and Linton also traveled to Fort Knox to view the eclipse.

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  1. This guy has the political touch of a gorilla wearing mittens.

  2. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday acknowledged that he did initially request a government plane to travel to his honeymoon in Europe, but he said he only did so because he needed access to secure communications while abroad.

    “I’m very sensitive to the use of government funds,” Mnuchin said Thursday at an event held by Politico. “I’ve never asked the government to pay for my personal travel, and this was purely about alternatives of how I’d be able to be involved for national security.”

    This is how entitled people think. He couldn’t possibly conceive of an alternative option, which would be to celebrate his honeymoon somewhere where the U.S. taxpayers wouldn’t be paying $25,000.00/hr to jet him and his most recent wife around the world. No, he’s celebrating his honeymoon where he damn well pleases, and since he needs access to secure communications, we’ll all foot the bill, and like it. Screw him.

  3. Avatar for zsak zsak says:

    I’m very sensitive to the use of government funds

    It gives him goose-pimples all over just to think about wasting them.

  4. So having his photo taken atop Fort Knox was for ‘national security’ reasons, too?

  5. National Security Reasons

    Treasury Barbie: The plane that we didnt get, would have been another example of self-sacrifice on our part:

    “Have you given more to the economy than me and my husband? Either as an individual earner in taxes OR in self sacrifice to your country?”

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