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The treasury secretary's wife finally explained what was going on in this bizarre Instagram photo

Nicole Einbinder,Nicole Einbinder   

The treasury secretary's wife finally explained what was going on in this bizarre Instagram photo
PoliticsPolitics3 min read

Louise Linton

  • Louise Linton, the wife of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, spoke out in a recent Los Angeles Magazine interview about past controversies during her tenure as a Cabinet wife.
  • She told journalist Maer Roshan that it "sucks being hated," and acknowledged she has "made some rookie mistakes."
  • Roshan used the opportunity to probe Linton on more serious subject matter, such as her thoughts on the Trump administration's anti-LGBTQ policies and a recent proposal that would expand hunting and fishing at wildlife refuges.
  • Linton said she is "caught between a rock and a hard place with these questions. Either I can express my beliefs and be at odds with my husband and his boss and get in trouble that way, or I can decline to comment and be in hot water with everyone else. Sucks either way."
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Louise Linton, the wife of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, spoke out in a recent interview about the widely condemned 2017 Instagram post in which she can be seen disembarking from an Air Force jet in Kentucky in what looks like a fashion magazine cover, complete with hashtags for the expensive brands she wore - like Tom Ford, Hermés, and Valentino.

Many weren't happy with Linton's photo, with one commenter writing "glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable." In response, Linton blasted the woman's lifestyle and boasted of her own wealth. She later apologized for her post and, in an interview published this week with Los Angeles Magazine, said she tried to direct message the woman to apologize, but she was already blocked on the platform.

"Look, that was bad. I've really absorbed the criticism and learned a lot of humility and have grown from all of it. Shit happens; mistakes happen. People grow and move on," Linton told journalist Maer Roshan. "That whole Instagram thing happened because I got some bad advice. My advisers at the time were telling me to be glamorous and fashionable. I was looking at actresses I admired, and they all tagged their clothes. I should have realized that what's good for movie stars doesn't work for a Cabinet secretary's wife."

"It sucks being perceived as a person that you're not; it sucks being hated," she told Roshan. "I made some rookie mistakes."

During the interview, Linton also revealed the secret behind another controversial photo: the 2017 viral image featuring her husband and her posing with newly-printed dollar bills at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Many took to social media to compare the couple to James Bond villains, and Linton was questioned over her black leather gloves.

Louise Linton

According to Linton, she simply wore the gloves because she was cold inside the building.

"You've heard of 'cold cash' right? They call it that because it's kept freezing cold there. I was warned ahead of time so I came prepared," Linton told Roshan. "But I certainly didn't expect to be in any photographs. My mistake was when Steven said, 'Hey, honey, this is cool; step in this picture.' I didn't say, 'Wait a minute, let me take my gloves off, Steven. I look like a crazy person. I look like Darth Vader!'"

Roshan used the opportunity to probe Linton on more serious subject matter, such as her thoughts on the Trump administration's anti-LGBTQ policies and a recent proposal that would expand hunting and fishing at wildlife refuges.

Linton acknowledged that while "all of my besties are gay," she is "caught between a rock and a hard place with these questions. Either I can express my beliefs and be at odds with my husband and his boss and get in trouble that way, or I can decline to comment and be in hot water with everyone else. Sucks either way."

When pushed about the relaxed hunting ban, Linton, a vocal animal lover, said "I was very upset. Not furious, just very upset, just upset, sad. Sad." She also said she feels uncomfortable around Donald Trump Jr., who supports big-game hunting.

"Look, when I went to D.C. I thought I would have an incredible platform to help animals," Linton told Roshan. "But I realized very quickly that there were huge limits to what I could do. Cabinet spouses are not allowed to lobby other Cabinet members. It's against the rules."

Read the full Los Angeles Magazine interview here

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