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Trump Budget Guru, Long a Fiscal Hawk, Now Has to Sell Spending Trump Budget Guru, Long a Fiscal Hawk, Now Has to Sell Spending
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Making the rounds at the Capitol on a recent evening, Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s budget director, decided to add an unscheduled stop: a meeting of the House Freedom Caucus, the group of hard-line conservatives that once counted Mr. Mulvaney as a founding member.WASHINGTON — Making the rounds at the Capitol on a recent evening, Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s budget director, decided to add an unscheduled stop: a meeting of the House Freedom Caucus, the group of hard-line conservatives that once counted Mr. Mulvaney as a founding member.
This history, it seems, does not afford lifetime privileges.This history, it seems, does not afford lifetime privileges.
After addressing the room briefly, amid the group’s push to oppose the Republican health care bill endorsed by Mr. Trump, Mr. Mulvaney was interrupted, respectfully, by the caucus’s chairman, Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina.After addressing the room briefly, amid the group’s push to oppose the Republican health care bill endorsed by Mr. Trump, Mr. Mulvaney was interrupted, respectfully, by the caucus’s chairman, Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina.
“Mark said, ‘Look, Mick, we’re going to ask you to step out because we know your loyalties are different now than they were,’” recalled Mr. Mulvaney, a South Carolina congressman from 2011 until his confirmation last month. “And I said, ‘Mark, you’re absolutely right.’”“Mark said, ‘Look, Mick, we’re going to ask you to step out because we know your loyalties are different now than they were,’” recalled Mr. Mulvaney, a South Carolina congressman from 2011 until his confirmation last month. “And I said, ‘Mark, you’re absolutely right.’”
He left without complaint.He left without complaint.
As Mr. Trump unveils his budget plans this week — against the backdrop of a health care bill that Mr. Mulvaney’s former colleagues detest — the man charged with executing the White House’s fiscal vision is a figure who, not very long ago, might well have been leading the opposition to much of it.As Mr. Trump unveils his budget plans this week — against the backdrop of a health care bill that Mr. Mulvaney’s former colleagues detest — the man charged with executing the White House’s fiscal vision is a figure who, not very long ago, might well have been leading the opposition to much of it.
While Mr. Mulvaney’s first budget does call for some of the deepest cuts to domestic programs in decades, in many ways his fiscal philosophy appears at odds with that of the president.While Mr. Mulvaney’s first budget does call for some of the deepest cuts to domestic programs in decades, in many ways his fiscal philosophy appears at odds with that of the president.
Mr. Mulvaney has long railed against runaway military spending; Mr. Trump wants a huge increase.Mr. Mulvaney has long railed against runaway military spending; Mr. Trump wants a huge increase.
He has favored drastic changes to Medicare and lifting the eligibility age for Social Security, placing him at odds with Mr. Trump, who has pledged to protect those entitlement programs.He has favored drastic changes to Medicare and lifting the eligibility age for Social Security, placing him at odds with Mr. Trump, who has pledged to protect those entitlement programs.
And as administration officials and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill strain to muscle the health care bill through the House, Mr. Mulvaney has been placed in the unusual position of selling his former comrades on its merits.And as administration officials and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill strain to muscle the health care bill through the House, Mr. Mulvaney has been placed in the unusual position of selling his former comrades on its merits.
“He’s a very worthy opponent, let’s put it that way,” Mr. Meadows said. “You can be a worthy adversary and not be an enemy.”“He’s a very worthy opponent, let’s put it that way,” Mr. Meadows said. “You can be a worthy adversary and not be an enemy.”
Before being asked to leave the meeting, Mr. Mulvaney did persuade the group to hold a future gathering at a more exclusive address: the White House bowling alley, for a night of pizza and health care policy.Before being asked to leave the meeting, Mr. Mulvaney did persuade the group to hold a future gathering at a more exclusive address: the White House bowling alley, for a night of pizza and health care policy.
Those who knew Mr. Mulvaney before he was the nation’s budget guru say that such gestures are typical of a man whose hard-line leanings in Congress belied a collegial style.Those who knew Mr. Mulvaney before he was the nation’s budget guru say that such gestures are typical of a man whose hard-line leanings in Congress belied a collegial style.
“He had a great sense of humor that could take you by surprise,” said Carolyn Tillman, who was a classmate of Mr. Mulvaney’s at Charlotte Catholic High School in North Carolina. “He was always very interested in other people’s opinions.”“He had a great sense of humor that could take you by surprise,” said Carolyn Tillman, who was a classmate of Mr. Mulvaney’s at Charlotte Catholic High School in North Carolina. “He was always very interested in other people’s opinions.”
But even then Mr. Mulvaney’s ambition was apparent. He edited the school newspaper, served as student council president, acted in theater performances and served as president of the science club. He was also on the wrestling and golf teams and was a manager for the varsity basketball team.But even then Mr. Mulvaney’s ambition was apparent. He edited the school newspaper, served as student council president, acted in theater performances and served as president of the science club. He was also on the wrestling and golf teams and was a manager for the varsity basketball team.
After graduating from Georgetown University, Mr. Mulvaney went on to become a lawyer and then worked in the real estate and restaurant industries before jumping into South Carolina politics. By then a father of triplet daughters, he was elected in 2006 to the State House of Representatives, where he gained a reputation as a budding fiscal hawk and policy maven. After graduating from Georgetown University, Mr. Mulvaney went on to become a lawyer and then worked in the real estate and restaurant industries before jumping into South Carolina politics. By then a father of triplets, he was elected in 2006 to the State House of Representatives, where he gained a reputation as a budding fiscal hawk and policy maven.
“He very much believes in the smaller government, lower taxation model,” said Joel Lourie, a former Democratic state senator in South Carolina who is a friend of Mr. Mulvaney’s. “During his career both in the legislature and in Congress he was very consistent in that regard.”“He very much believes in the smaller government, lower taxation model,” said Joel Lourie, a former Democratic state senator in South Carolina who is a friend of Mr. Mulvaney’s. “During his career both in the legislature and in Congress he was very consistent in that regard.”
Mr. Lourie did note that some of Mr. Mulvaney’s former colleagues in South Carolina have wondered how he really feels about carrying out a Trump administration agenda that includes plans for big infrastructure spending and health care legislation that subsidizes insurance.Mr. Lourie did note that some of Mr. Mulvaney’s former colleagues in South Carolina have wondered how he really feels about carrying out a Trump administration agenda that includes plans for big infrastructure spending and health care legislation that subsidizes insurance.
“It’s been a little surprising for many in this state to see Mick on the front lines pushing a health care proposal that many of the more conservative members of Congress are not supporting,” Mr. Lourie said. “That’s a little bit of a departure for him.”“It’s been a little surprising for many in this state to see Mick on the front lines pushing a health care proposal that many of the more conservative members of Congress are not supporting,” Mr. Lourie said. “That’s a little bit of a departure for him.”
This is, after all, the same man who once gathered in a Capitol Hill chapel with three fellow conservative freshmen members from South Carolina in 2011, seeking spiritual guidance as the government was hours away from shutting down. (His decision: a vote against a spending deal to keep the lights on.)This is, after all, the same man who once gathered in a Capitol Hill chapel with three fellow conservative freshmen members from South Carolina in 2011, seeking spiritual guidance as the government was hours away from shutting down. (His decision: a vote against a spending deal to keep the lights on.)
And Mr. Mulvaney found an unlikely kindred spirit, at least on one issue, in Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the now-retired liberal Democrat with whom he joined forces on a push to stifle military spending.And Mr. Mulvaney found an unlikely kindred spirit, at least on one issue, in Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the now-retired liberal Democrat with whom he joined forces on a push to stifle military spending.
After his nomination, Mr. Mulvaney was eventually approved with just 51 votes, navigating a confirmation process that included revelations that he had failed to pay more than $15,000 in payroll taxes for a household employee.After his nomination, Mr. Mulvaney was eventually approved with just 51 votes, navigating a confirmation process that included revelations that he had failed to pay more than $15,000 in payroll taxes for a household employee.
At his committee hearing, Mr. Mulvaney pledged to be a sober purveyor of bad news, if necessary.At his committee hearing, Mr. Mulvaney pledged to be a sober purveyor of bad news, if necessary.
“The credibility I think I bring to this job is that I believe very firmly in real numbers,” Mr. Mulvaney told lawmakers. “My job is to tell the president the truth. My job is to tell you the truth.”“The credibility I think I bring to this job is that I believe very firmly in real numbers,” Mr. Mulvaney told lawmakers. “My job is to tell the president the truth. My job is to tell you the truth.”
Since taking the job, he seems to have embraced a more targeted mission statement, articulated at a White House briefing last month. Mr. Mulvaney had been asked why foreign aid, a small fraction of federal spending, was an expected target of the Trump budget.Since taking the job, he seems to have embraced a more targeted mission statement, articulated at a White House briefing last month. Mr. Mulvaney had been asked why foreign aid, a small fraction of federal spending, was an expected target of the Trump budget.
“Yes, it’s a fairly small part of the discretionary budget, but it’s still consistent with what the president said,” Mr. Mulvaney said. “When you see these reductions, you’ll be able to tie it back to a speech the president gave or something the president has said previously.”“Yes, it’s a fairly small part of the discretionary budget, but it’s still consistent with what the president said,” Mr. Mulvaney said. “When you see these reductions, you’ll be able to tie it back to a speech the president gave or something the president has said previously.”
The administration’s task, he said, was “taking his words and turning them into policies and dollars.”The administration’s task, he said, was “taking his words and turning them into policies and dollars.”
At times, he has also found occasion to dispute certain numbers that displeased the White House. After the Congressional Budget Office projected an increase of 24 million people without health insurance by 2026, Mr. Mulvaney began an appearance on Fox News from snowy Washington by declaring, “Welcome to Washington, where the C.B.O. says it’s sunny and 75 degrees.”At times, he has also found occasion to dispute certain numbers that displeased the White House. After the Congressional Budget Office projected an increase of 24 million people without health insurance by 2026, Mr. Mulvaney began an appearance on Fox News from snowy Washington by declaring, “Welcome to Washington, where the C.B.O. says it’s sunny and 75 degrees.”
Before the report’s release, he suggested that estimating the effects of legislation, a chief function of the C.B.O., “probably isn’t the best use of their time.”Before the report’s release, he suggested that estimating the effects of legislation, a chief function of the C.B.O., “probably isn’t the best use of their time.”
Then there was the claim, presented without evidence on CNN, that the Obama administration had been “manipulating the numbers” in recent years to suppress the unemployment rate.Then there was the claim, presented without evidence on CNN, that the Obama administration had been “manipulating the numbers” in recent years to suppress the unemployment rate.
Mr. Frank, the former congressman, recalled his bygone alliance with Mr. Mulvaney fondly, even as he expressed little sympathy for any discomfort Mr. Mulvaney might now encounter in his new role.Mr. Frank, the former congressman, recalled his bygone alliance with Mr. Mulvaney fondly, even as he expressed little sympathy for any discomfort Mr. Mulvaney might now encounter in his new role.
“The president does not have the power to force you to become budget director,” Mr. Frank said.“The president does not have the power to force you to become budget director,” Mr. Frank said.
He was reminded, he said, of a line attributed to King Henry IV of France, who converted to Catholicism to seize the throne: “Paris is worth a Mass.”He was reminded, he said, of a line attributed to King Henry IV of France, who converted to Catholicism to seize the throne: “Paris is worth a Mass.”
“I guess,” Mr. Frank said, “being budget director is worth military spending.”“I guess,” Mr. Frank said, “being budget director is worth military spending.”