Treasury Head's Wife Touts Wealth In Instagram Post
WASHINGTON (AP) — Louise Linton, the wife of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, blasted as "adorably out of touch" a person who criticized her Instagram post in which Linton depicted her designer-label outfit.
Linton posted the picture of herself Monday getting off a government plane in Kentucky with Mnuchin. In her post, she mentioned several designer labels for her all-white outfit, including Tom Ford and Valentino.
The commenter responded: "Glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable."
Linton, an actress, responded on Instagram by calling the commenter "adorably out of touch." She suggested she and Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive and hedge fund investor, contributed more to the U.S. economy and paid more in taxes than her critic.
"Pretty sure the amount we sacrifice per year is a lot more than you'd be willing to sacrifice if the choice was yours," Linton added.
She went on to call the commenter's response "passive aggressive" and "nasty" before ending her retort with a suggestion that the critic, "go chill out and watch the new game of thrones."
Linton's Instagram account is private, but a screengrab of her response has circulated online.
Linton didn't respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press Tuesday. A Treasury Department spokesperson said Mnuchin and Linton are reimbursing the government for Linton's travel and that Linton received no compensation from the fashion labels mentioned in her post.
Mnuchin was visiting Kentucky Monday for an appearance with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and a tour of Fort Knox.
The Scottish-born Linton apologized last year amid criticism of a self-published memoir of a year she spent in Africa as a teen, and withdrew the book. Critics deemed it inaccurate in its depiction of life on the continent. An excerpt was published online by The Telegraph, but taken down by the British newspaper "in light of the concerns raised by readers."
Linton has also had small roles in films and television shows and more recently worked as a producer. Mnuchin produced several films before being tapped for the Treasury post by President Donald Trump. The pair married in June in a ceremony attended by the president.
(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
