Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Louise Linton, his wife, arrive aboard the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford for its commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. Thomson Reuters WASHINGTON — A federal watchdog is reviewing the circumstances surrounding a controversial flight taken by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife to Kentucky, where he spoke to business leaders and viewed the solar eclipse, according to The Washington Post.

A counsel for the Treasury's Office of the Inspector General told The Post in a statement late on Thursday that the flight was being reviewed "to determine whether all applicable travel, ethics, and appropriation laws were observed."

The Post said Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden last week requested a "detailed explanation" of the travel and justification for use of the government aircraft. It said Treasury secretaries and other Cabinet members not involved in national security had traditionally flown on government aircraft on rare occasions, usually taking commercial flights for domestic travel.

The former hedge fund manager and his wife, actress Louise Linton, stirred controversy last week when they traveled to Louisville and Fort Knox, Kentucky, where they viewed the solar eclipse with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others.

Treasury officials have said the trip was official government travel, with Mnuchin speaking to Louisville business leaders before visiting Fort Knox, where a large portion of the US's gold reserves is held.

Linton helped touch off the controversy by posting a photo of herself on social media getting off a government plane and listing the designer brands she was wearing. That triggered a spat between Linton and critics angered by the display of wealth and privilege.

A screenshot of Louise Linton's Instagram post. Screenshot via Twitter

Screenshots of Linton's Instagram post. Screenshot via Twitter

Rich Delmar, a counsel for the Treasury's Office of the Inspector General, told The Post the office was looking into issues raised by the flight.

"When our review is complete, we will advise the appropriate officials, in accordance with the Inspector General Act and established procedures," he said in the statement.

(Reporting by David Alexander; editing by Susan Heavey and Phil Berlowitz)