Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has traveled by private jet at least 24 times since May, racking up a travel cost of more than $300,000, Politico reported late Thursday.
Politico reported, citing Health and Human Services documents and unnamed sources with knowledge of Price’s travel plans, that Price took at least two dozen flights on private charter planes since early May.
Those trips cost more than $300,000, Politico reported, citing federal contracts and similar trip itineraries.
Agency spokespeople did not respond to Politico’s questions about the number of trips Price has taken on private planes or provide other specifics.
Charmaine Yoest, assistant secretary of public affairs at the agency, told Politico that when Price travels on official business, it is paid for “from the HHS budget.”
Politico reported on Wednesday that Price spent tens of thousands of dollars last week to travel up and down the East Coast, a move that is not illegal but which breaks with agency precedent; Price’s predecessors traveled on commercial flights for agency business.
