Exclusive: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveled to Europe last spring in a military plane to attend the fifth annual Invictus Games with her husband, Chasten Buttigieg, according to an internal calendar reviewed by Fox News Digital.
On April 15, Buttigieg traveled from Joint Base Andrews to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on a “Milair flight” and returned two days later in a military aircraft, obtained by the Americans for Public Trust (APT), Fox News Digital and Fox News Digital. Revealed by a shared calendar. According to photos and media reports of her event, the Secretary of Transportation traveled to the Netherlands with her husband.
President Biden announced that Buttigieg would lead a presidential delegation, including lawmakers and other government officials, to the Invictus Games just days before the April event. It was established as a multisport competition for wounded, wounded or sick soldiers and veterans. Buttigieg joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 2009 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014.
A spokesman for the White House National Security Council said in a statement to Fox News Digital that “it is standard practice to provide military aircraft to ministerial-level presidential delegations organized by the White House.”
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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten Buttigieg join Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and other U.S. government officials at a welcome event at the U.S. Embassy before the Invictus Games in The Hague, Netherlands on April 15. I will attend.
(Handout/Chris Allerton/Invictus Games Foundation via Getty Images)
The previous administration also sent presidential delegations to the Invictus Games in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
In a separate statement, a Department of Transportation spokesman reiterated the importance of the Invictus game, but also questioned the costs to taxpayers and whether Buttigieg plans to reimburse the government for expenses related to her husband’s travels. Didn’t answer the question.
“The Secretary was proud to be asked to be part of the presidential delegation organized by the State Department for the Invictus Games. It’s an international event that supports both military and veterans,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The delegation met with a US team of wounded veterans and active duty military personnel as part of their visit.”
However, in 2017, former President Donald Trump accepted the resignation of then-Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tom Price, a move that would allow Cabinet officials to use government-funded private jets and military aircraft to After it was reportedly costing taxpayers more than $1 million.Following reports that Price’s wife accompanied a military plane while traveling abroad, the former HHS secretary reimbursed the government for her travel expenses.
It remains unclear whether Buttigieg reimbursed the government for her husband’s travel expenses.
Buttigieg on the yellow carpet before the start of the Invictus Games on April 16 in the Netherlands.
(Sem Van Der Wal/ANP via Getty Images)
Overall, Price’s international flight in military aircraft alone cost him more than $500,000, Politico reported in 2017. Kathleen Sebelius, a former Cabinet official who served in the Obama administration, told Politico that she had never flown in a military plane to travel abroad.
In the aftermath of Price’s 2017 report on travel, the White House said at the time that “the use of military aircraft for ministers and other important travelers is sometimes an appropriate and necessary use of resources.” It echoed the statement of the National Security Council. on Wednesday he on Fox News Digital.
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“Secretary of State Buttigieg’s travel woes continue to pile on with this latest revelation that he and his husband took a private jet for their trip to Europe,” said Caitlin Sutherland, APT executive director at Fox. “Mr. Buttigieg’s mismanagement of travel should infuriate taxpayers whose vacation plans have been completely derailed,” he told News Digital.
“Mr Buttigieg manages to sidestep all the problems he has caused by flying private military jets around the world for non-military purposes, but every day Americans bear the brunt of his separation from the realities of travel. I’m stuck,” she continued.
Buttigieg was criticized last month after a Fox News Digital report showed he had taken at least 18 flights on government private jets during his tenure as head of the Department of Transportation.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Fox News Digital reported in December that Mr Buttigieg had flown on government private jets at least 18 times since taking office. Buttigieg, who has advocated aggressive climate change policies and reduced carbon emissions, was accused of hypocrisy after the report. Private His jet travel is the most carbon-intensive mode of transportation.
Price and Buttigieg’s predecessor, Elaine Chao, who was active throughout the Trump administration, was heavily criticized for similarly using a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-controlled jet. The FAA previously charged federal agencies about $5,000 an hour to use its fleet, according to reports.
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In response to last month’s report, Senator Marco Rubio (Florida Republican) wrote a letter to Transportation Department Inspector General Eric Soskin urging an investigation into the matter.
“I have long worked to ensure effective control over the movement of leadership and staff to reduce the risk of fraud, waste and abuse,” Rubio said on Dec. 16. Complied with all applicable regulations, policies and procedures. ”
Meanwhile, during Buttigieg’s tenure, the Department of Transportation has dealt with multiple crises, including: Widespread commercial airline delays and cancellations. Southwest Airlines, one of the US’s largest airlines, canceled about 15,000 flights in late December during the peak of the holiday travel season.
