Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has drawn scrutiny for his use of private military aircraft for travel, according to a report by The Washington Post. One instance cited involved Kennedy boarding an Air Force-operated Gulfstream jet on August 17 to travel from Washington, D.C., to Des Moines, Iowa, for an event with Republican Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
The Defense Department charges approximately $9,000 per hour for the use of such Gulfstream jets. The report noted that a commercial flight for the same distance would have cost a federal employee around $250.
White House officials and legal representatives for the Department of Health and Human Services reportedly approved the flight arrangements. Officials described Kennedy's military aircraft usage as infrequent, emphasizing that he has utilized commercial flights for many of his trips.
This situation echoes past controversies involving high-ranking Trump administration officials and their travel expenses. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned in a previous term due to his use of private jets. Other officials, including former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, also faced similar scrutiny, leading to the White House implementing new restrictions on Cabinet officials' use of private aircraft.
Kennedy is among several current Trump administration officials to have faced questions about travel-related expenditures recently. In July, Representatives Jamie Raskin and Senator Dick Durbin announced an investigation into FBI Director Kash Patel's reported use of public resources for private jet travel and other perks.
Earlier that month, Secret Service supervisors expressed concerns about Vice President JD Vance's travel requests, describing some, such as using a government helicopter to transport him and a son to a golf lesson, as "inappropriate or even unprecedented." Vance's office stated that agents provide excellent protection while managing the challenges of protecting a Vice President with a broad policy portfolio and a young family.