Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Friday called the recent news about his use of private jets “a little BS” as he outlined three trips he made on charter aircraft.
In a statement he gave before giving his policy speech at the Heritage Foundation, Zinke confirmed that he’s used private jet travel on three occasions and has flown military aircraft at other times as well.
“Using tax dollars wisely and ethically is a greatest responsibility and is at the heart of good government,” he said. “And there are times, however we have to utilize charter services because we often travel in areas and under circumstances that we don’t have other fight options.”
Zinke said, however that he will continue to use charter planes and fly on military planes when necessary. He added that on all other occasions he flies coach.
Zinke listed the three distinct instances when he used non-commercial or non-military aircraft for travel.
The first he said was for a bipartisan congressional delegation led by the Senate and natural resources committee with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to the Arctic Circle.
The second was flying “late at night to the great state of Montana on invitation to meet the great governor of the great state of Montana.”
Zinke is a former Montana congressman.
The third he said was to visit the US Virgin Islands on invitation to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of their transition of power from Danish ownership.
Zinke said he only flies charter after it’s determined by “multiple career professionals at the department that no other options meet the schedule.”
He added they’re only booked after “extensive due-diligence” by the Interior Department general counsel and ethics department.
“I follow the law,” he said.