The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) paid Donald Trump's campaign $1.6 million to cover the costs of flying agents charged with protecting the Republican presidential candidate on his company's plane, Politico reported on Thursday.



While it's a long-accepted practice for the agency, which has also reimbursed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign $2.6 million, the payment to Trump's campaign was unusual because the plane was owned by TAG Air, owned by Trump, Politico reported.

That meant the U.S. government was effectively paying the candidate to protect him, the report said.

The Clinton campaign has been chartering planes from a private company in which the family has no ownership interest, the report noted.

Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks told CNBC via email, "Everything was done as required by the FEC," referring to the Federal Election Commission.

The Secret Service didn't immediately return a phone call from CNBC outside office hours.

The full Politico report can be read here.