Liberal Forum

White House Scrambles To Rebrand Spending Bill As Trump 'Win'

The Trump administration is doing damage control as Congress inches toward passage of a massive spending deal that ducks the president's most contentious demands.

Less than 48 hours after the funding bill’s release, White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney is forcefully working to reverse the narrative that Democrats emerged as clear victors, and President Donald Trump is touting the legislation as delivering on his core campaign promises.

“They’re walking around trying to make it like they pulled one over fast on the president, and I just won’t stand for it,” Mulvaney said Tuesday afternoon during the daily White House press conference.

The budget director’s appearance at the White House media briefing marked his third check-in with reporters since Monday evening — a press blitz seemingly spurred by an angry president.

According to one person familiar with Trump’s thinking, the president was furious Tuesday morning with news coverage about the spending deal and "the idea he looked like the loser.”

Mulvaney was asked to do a last-minute media briefing Tuesday morning, after holding a call with reporters Monday night, and to clear his schedule for the 1:30 p.m. press conference, a White House official said.