Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force said it is reviewing all international layovers following revelations that flight crews have stayed at resorts owned by President Donald Trump.
"Air Force leadership directed Air Mobility Command to review all guidance pertaining to selection of airports and lodging accommodations during international travels," the Air Force said in a statement Sunday to Politico.
The order comes following revelations on Friday that military personnel stayed at Trump lodgings during layovers at the taxpayers' expense, specifically a trip earlier this year by a U.S. Air Force C17 crew to Trump's Turnberry resort in Glasgow during stopovers between the United States and Kuwait.
The statement Sunday said stopovers have increased at Glasgow Prestwick Airport since 2015 due to it being operated 24 hours a day that allows for flexible schedules, among other considerations.
"While initial reviews indicate that aircrew transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures, we understand that U.S. service members lodging at higher-end accommodations, even if within government rates, might be allowable but not advisable," the Air Force said. "Therefore, we are reviewing all associated guidance."
The statement continued that even if the choice of lodgings adheres to the letter of the law, the Air Force must be considerate of perceptions of "not being good stewards of taxpayer funds."
Brig. Gen. Ed Thomas said the stopovers weren't unusual.
"As our aircrews serve on these international airlift missions, they follow strict guidelines on contracting for hotel accommodations and all expenditures of taxpayer dollars," Thomas said. "In this case, they made reservations through the Defense Travel System and used the closest available and least expensive accommodations to the airfield within the crews' allowable hotel rates."
However, the stop made earlier this year by the U.S. Air Force C17 crew en route and returning from Kuwait has come under a House oversight committee investigation that was launched in April, Politico reported.
On Friday the House oversight and judiciary committees requested documents from the president, Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials concerning other attempts to stay at Trump properties, stating the visits could be in violation of the Constitution's Emoluments Clauses.
The letters were sent after it was learned that Pence stayed at a Trump property in Doonbeg, Ireland, some 180 miles from Dublin where he was meeting with Irish officials.
"The White House has not made public how much the vice president's trip cost the American taxpayers -- or benefited the Trump Organization -- but based on previous investigations by the Government Accountability Office, the bill could be significant," the Committee on Oversight and Reform said.
The committees said while the cost of Pence's stay wasn't released, they imagine it is "considerate" considering the president's stay there in June cost taxpayers $3.6 million.
The president has also suggested Trump National Doral Miami to host a G7 summit, the Committee on Oversight and Reform said.
