US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife Louise Linton struck a pose with newly-minted sheets of American dollar bills and the internet went absolutely bonkers over the photos. Mnuchin and US Treasurer Jovita Carranza toured the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington DC on Wednesday (15 November) accompanied by Scottish actress Linton.

The couple was seen holding up a sheet of the newly printed $1 bills that bear Mnuchin and Carranza's signature. The picture features Mnuchin smiling and holding the sheet on both sides. His wife is seen holding up one corner of the sheet while sporting a pair of black leather gloves.

The newly-printed bills are expected to go into circulation next month.

More from IBTimes UK:

The eyebrow-raising photos happen to come after Linton tagged numerous luxury fashion brands she wore in an Instagram photo of herself and Mnuchin in August as they descended the steps of a government plane.

The photo drew fierce criticism with many slamming the photo as "boastful" and "tone deaf."

Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive and Hollywood producer, has also garnered sharp criticism over his use of government aircraft to travel as well.

Naturally, Twitter erupted with a slew of hilarious, sarcasm-dripping responses to the photos, with many saying the couple epitomised "wealth and privilege" in America. Others said it looked like "stock images for greed".

"This looks like the promotional image for a new heist movie out this holiday season (I blame Linton's leather gloves and black trench)," one Twitter user wrote. Another said the "only way this could be worse would be if Linton and Mnuchin were lighting cigars with flaming dollar bills".

Former spokesperson for the US National Security Council and President Obama, Tommy Vietor, wrote: "After this person was taken, Linton went back to torturing 101 dalmations," referring to Cruella De Vil.

"Is ... she TRYING to dress like the villain in a dystopic sci-fi teen novel about a world where oligarchs rule with an iron fist?" science journalist Maggie Koerth-Baker tweeted.

"God bless Louise Linton, who even after one of the worst PR disasters of the year is unable to stop dressing like a Disney villain," writer Jesse Berney tweeted.

steve mnuchin
Photos of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife Louise Linton posing with sheets of money have become viral memes REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool
Twitter