By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. government watchdog said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s use of government airplanes on eight trips complied with all federal rules.
The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) review released on Wednesday also found that flights made by his predecessor Elaine Chao on Federal Aviation Administration-operated (FAA) planes also complied with federal requirements.
The report said the department “complied with Federal regulations, policies, and procedures regarding official travel by the secretaries on DOT aircraft from January 2017 to June 2023.”
Buttigieg’s flights on government jets accounted for 11.6% of his official trips through June 30, while Chao’s accounted for 7.3%.
A spokesperson for Buttigieg said he “directed that travel and logistical decisions be grounded in efficient and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.”
The spokesperson added “the majority of times the FAA aircraft was used actually saved taxpayers money, including in instances that were required for exceptional scheduling needs.”
A 1992 White House memo allows senior government officials to travel on government aircraft but with restrictions.
The review had been sought by Republican Senator Marco Rubio asking if there were any violations of Transportation Department policy.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter and Nick Zieminski)
