When the conversation started to move to the things that we disagreed on, Donald Trump moved it back to the things that we could agree on. I think that's the way you get deals done, right? You and I might disagree 80% of the time but that still gives us 20% opportunity to try to work things out.
Mick MulvaneyMy dad told me something long before I was in politics, and when your dad gives you advice every single day, eventually one or two of the things stick in your mind. And he said, don't believe what people say, believe what they do.
Mick MulvaneyThere was very polite, gentlemanly, and - and - and lady-like push-back on issues on both sides. Chuck Schumer continues to push this idea of this $30 billion tunnel under the Hudson River, um, that Donald Trump very politely pushed back on. But I thought it was cordial and productive. The president is not giving up on the wall, and he's certainly not giving up on border security.
Mick MulvaneyWe are trying to get a border wall to protect millions of low income Americans against folks who aren't supposed to be here. So, it's a national security.
Mick MulvaneyWhy am I interested in deficits? The only way you balance the budget in this country long-term is through sustained economic growth. And that's what everything we are doing in this administration is aimed at that end goal.
Mick MulvaneyThing we're trying to add to this is that lower corporate tax rates as we try and spur the economy. So that's where the Donald Trump attention is. The president's attention is on the middle class, making sure that's simple, fair and better. And then on the corporate tax rate, to try and get folks to invest in America again. His focus has not been on the impact on the top 1 percent.
Mick Mulvaney