Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price Thomas (Tom) Edmunds PriceConspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention Coronavirus Report: The Hill's Steve Clemons interviews Chris Christie Trump flails as audience dwindles and ratings plummet MORE has used military aircrafts for multiple overseas trips costing taxpayers more than $500,000, according to a new report by Politico.

The White House approved Price’s use of military planes for trips to Berlin, Geneva and Beijing, among others, where Price attended meetings like the G-20 Health Ministers meeting and the World Health Assembly.

Politico reports Price’s wife accompanied him on the military flights, while other members of his delegation flew commercially on the trips to Europe.



HHS spokeswoman Charmaine Yoest said Price has already reimbursed the agency for the costs of his wife’s travel and said Price taking the military aircraft was necessary for both his security and his communication abilities.

ADVERTISEMENT

We don’t have a deputy secretary that’s been confirmed … [military aircraft] is important for maintaining security and having secure communications as well,” Yoest told Politico.

One trip, a 95-minute flight from Berlin to Geneva aboard a Department of Defense Gulfstream C-37B plane, cost taxpayers almost $16,000, according to an invoice obtained by Politico. Price took that trip alongside his wife and eight other HHS personnel.

The newly revealed military flights bring Price’s total travel costs to more than $1 million since May, according to Politico.

Price has come under fire from both Democrats and Republicans following Politico's initial report that he had racked up $400,000 in charter jet travel expenses for government business. Price said Thursday he would reimburse taxpayers nearly $52,000 for his cost of travel on those flights.

The White House on Thursday refused to say whether Price would be fired just a day after President Trump said he was “not happy” about the expenditures.

Price said Thursday he’s working on “regaining the trust” of the American people and the president.