A CONTROVERSIAL Scots actress who married into the heart of the Trump administration has caused outrage after boasting on social media about her designer goods while stepping off a government funded private jet.
Louise Linton, who recently tied the knot with US treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, shared an apparently candid snap gazing into the distance as she stepped off the jet on Monday.
The 36-year-old, originally from Murrayfield, Edinburgh, can be seen wearing head-to-toe designer gear in the Instagram post as her husband follows closely behind her.
The actress and her husband had been on what she described as a “great day trip to Kentucky”.
She captioned the image with hashtags for some of the pricey designer items she was wearing including her “Roland Mouret pants”, “Tom Ford sunnies”, “Hermes scarf” and “Valentino rock stud heels”.
But the post was instantly branded “distasteful” and “deplorable” by social media users who accused Linton of wasting taxpayers money.
Linton hit back in a lengthy rant claiming that her and her husband have sacrificed more than some people in taxes and for her money.
Bizarrely, she then ended her rant to one critic by advising her to watch the latest episode in the Game of Thrones series.
Linton’s outburst came after Instagram follower, Jennifer Miller wrote: “Glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable.”
Linton replied: “Cute! Aw! Did you think this was a personal trip? Adorable! Do you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel?! Lololol.
“Have you given more to the economy than me and my husband? Either as an individual earner in taxes OR in self sacrifice to your country? I’m pretty sure we paid more taxes toward our day ‘trip’ than you did.
“Pretty sure the amount we sacrifice per year is a lot more than you’d be willing to sacrifice if the choice was yours. You’re adorably out of touch. Thanks for the passive aggressive nasty comment.”
Linton then went on to get personal and started making reference to Ms Miller’s family and personal life.
She added: “Your kids look cute. Your life looks cute. I know you’re mad but deep down you’re really nice and so am I.
“Sending me passive aggressive Instagram comments isn’t going to make life feel better. Maybe a nice message, one filled with wisdom and humanity would get more traction.
“Have a pleasant evening. Go chill and watch the new Game of Thrones. It’s fab!”
Hundreds of comments were left on the post by other outraged social media users before Linton made her profile private.
However, the posts were screen-grabbed and shared across Twitter sparking thousands of messages.
Emily Dickey wrote: “Please don’t tag your Hermes scarf. Distasteful.”
Charles Taylor said: “Well Louise, I served six years in the USAF so I think I have given more to our country than you will ever give.”
Walter Shaub wrote: “ This non-American says she paid more in taxes than you did, so the whole country is more hers than yours.”
Another user wrote: “Wait – Isn’t that the dopey actress who made personal $$$ off a book about her year in Africa?”
Linton moved to Washington DC in January this year and married Mnuchin in June.
Her husband has previously been accused of exploiting loopholes in tax code to avoid paying taxes.
Their flight on Monday to Louisville in Kentucky was reported to have been to meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a bid to discuss overhauling the tax code.
In July 2016 Linton was widely ridiculed on social media after claiming in her book that she almost died at the hands of African rebels.
She published a memoir of her gap year in Zambia, but critics hit out at her, claiming her dramatic story did not add up as there is little or no evidence of insurgent activity in Zambia in 1999, when Linton was there.
The book, In Congo’s Shadow, was billed as “the inspiring memoir of an intrepid teenager who abandoned her privileged life in Scotland”.
The 290-page book contains a passage where “armed rebels descended” on her village – entering the country from neighbouring Congo.
According to her book, Linton was forced to hide from the rebels for fear of being murdered or raped.
But Zambians and UK readers took to social media to claim there are inaccuracies in her story – and accused her of having a “white saviour complex”.
Quoting Linton, one other Twitter user wrote: “‘The dense jungle canopy above me?’ Zambia has savanna grasslands, not dense jungle. But I guess ‘English girl experience’.
Others highlighted that there are no “12 inch spiders” in the country as per her claims, and some pointed out that Linton writes about the monsoon season – which Zambia does not have.
