Following his marriage to Scottish actress Louise Linton in June, Steven Mnuchin, US Treasury secretary, inquired about the use of a military aircraft to go on honeymoon to Scotland, France and Italy, but his department later decided to withdraw the request.
A Treasury spokesperson defended the requests as needful for secured communications. He said, “the department considered the use of a military aircraft among a range of options because of the need to ensure secure communications during Mr Mnuchin’s extended travel”.
The request which was first reported by ABC News is not the first time Mnuchin would make such request. He had flew alongside his wife with a government aircraft last month to Kentucky where he had a view of the Solar eclipse.
The Kentucky travel spurred Treasury’s Inspector General to launch an inquiry into the couple’s trip which the Treasury defended was to conduct meetings on tax reform.
The Treasury spokesperson also said on Wednesday night that it was imperative for Mnuchin to have a secure communication due to his involvement in many national security issues, including North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.
He stressed, “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”.
“Treasury withdrew its request after a secure communications option was identified during the secretary’s extended travel,” the spokesperson added.
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