Lavish Travel Sparks Issues For Former White House Officials

In a string of damning revelations, newly obtained emails shine a glaring spotlight on the extravagant travel habits of Jessica Stern, President Biden’s Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons.

Appointed to champion human rights and inclusivity abroad, Stern’s tenure now raises serious questions about taxpayer accountability and bureaucratic indulgence at the highest levels of the State Department.

While Stern’s mission was to advance LGBTQ rights on a global scale, the documents—released by the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) and reported by The Daily Wire—depict a very different reality: a globe-trotting official with a penchant for luxury, lax expense reporting, and an alarming disregard for fiscal prudence.

From Rome to Brazil to the islands of Fiji, Stern’s globe-spanning itinerary read like a luxury influencer’s travelogue—except it was all funded by the American taxpayer. She reportedly failed to submit timely expense reports, baffling even her colleagues.

In one exchange, a State Department official pleaded for accounting records from her office, noting it was the only unit failing to comply. Stern’s nonchalant response? She wasn’t sure where to find the expenses and admitted to not reading the messages asking for them.

But the most glaring example of extravagance came during a proposed trip to Rome. Stern sought approval for a $7,000 rental van, later negotiating that down to a $3,000–$4,000 car—still far above acceptable thresholds. Senior officials were blunt: in the current climate of cost-cutting, her request was “inappropriate.” In fact, trips costing less than her rental car estimate had already been axed.

It wasn’t just the money—it was the tone and entitlement that stunned observers. Stern sent an “urgent” email demanding that her vegetarian meal preferences be guaranteed for international flights, lamenting repeated service failures by airlines. State Department staff scrambled to accommodate her dietary needs.

Meanwhile, back at home, everyday Americans grappled with inflation and rising costs. For those watching the pennies, revelations about Stern’s use of taxpayer dollars for photographers, interpreters, and costly logistics struck a nerve.

Stern’s tenure ended after Trump’s reelection, and her position has since been eliminated. CASA Director James Fitzpatrick summarized the sentiment of many: “While the working men and women of this country were struggling, Stern was asking for more of their money for a private car and a photographer.”