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HHS Secretary Used Air Force Gulfstream to Fly to Iowa, Reports Say

The White House and HHS lawyers signed off on the flight, prompting questions about cost, partisan appearances and agency oversight.

FILE - Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, May 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (L) and Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz speak as they join U.S. President Donald Trump at a healthcare affordability event in the Oval Office at the White House on August 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump announced that nearly a dozen pharmaceutical manufacturers have agreed to lower the price of their medications to match their prices outside of the United States. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during a hearing with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce subcommittee at the Rayburn House Office Building on April 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. The subcommittee on health held the hearing to discuss Department of Health and Human Services Budget for fiscal year 2027. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Reporting says Robert F. Kennedy Jr. flew on an Air Force-operated Gulfstream from the Washington area to Des Moines for an Aug. 17, 2026 trip that combined HHS business with appearances alongside Republican candidates.
  • The Defense Department bills roughly $9,000 per hour to operate that Gulfstream, while a government-arranged commercial ticket between Washington and Des Moines costs about $250, highlighting the large gap in taxpayer cost.
  • Multiple outlets cite The Washington Post as the source for the flight details and report that both White House and HHS lawyers approved Kennedy’s use of military aircraft for some travel.
  • At least one senior HHS official, Chris Klomp, questioned whether a government jet was necessary on a separate occasion and Kennedy agreed not to use one, showing there was some internal pushback.
  • There are no reported findings of wrongdoing or agency penalties so far, but the episode has drawn media scrutiny, comparisons to the 2017 Tom Price flight controversy, and calls for clearer public accounting of when military aircraft are used.