President Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, blaming him for the appointment of a Federal Reserve chairman who has been raising interest rates, a move Trump worries will jeopardize economic gains as his 2020 re-election campaign approaches, people familiar with the matter said.
In conversations with advisers in recent weeks, President Trump also has voiced displeasure with Mnuchin over the turbulent stock market and the Treasury chief’s skepticism toward the sort of punitive trade actions the White House has taken against China, the people said.
Looking back to his appointment of Mnuchin in 2016, President Trump has mused to advisers about whether he should have tapped someone else, mentioning JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPM, -0.92%
Chief Executive James Dimon as an alternative. A spokesman for Dimon declined to comment.
Aides fall in and out of favor in a White House known for high turnover, and Mr. Trump’s pique doesn’t necessarily mean Mnuchin is in danger of losing influence or being replaced. As President Trump prepares for a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit on Nov. 30, he has relied on Mnuchin in sounding out Beijing on a trade deal.
White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said President Trump appreciates the secretary’s work and that he “has been effective in carrying out the president’s agenda.”
After this article was published online, Mr. Trump tweeted that he was “extremely happy and proud” of Mnuchin’s performance. He attributed reports to the contrary to “phony sources or jealous people” and incorrectly implied The Wall Street Journal didn’t seek his comment for the article. “They never like to ask me for a quote b/c it would kill their story,” he said.
The Journal made repeated requests for comment this week, including a request for comment from President Trump. The Journal sent the White House a detailed list of questions Friday morning. After initially declining comment, the White House issued statements Friday afternoon, followed by the president’s tweet.
Source : MTV
