Advertisement Continue reading the main storyMr. Mulvaney has long railed against runaway military spending; Mr. Trump wants a huge increase. “He was always very interested in other people’s opinions.”But even then Mr. Mulvaney’s ambition was apparent. “The credibility I think I bring to this job is that I believe very firmly in real numbers,” Mr. Mulvaney told lawmakers. Mr. Mulvaney had been asked why foreign aid, a small fraction of federal spending, was an expected target of the Trump budget. 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.

Source: New York Times March 16, 2017 17:51 UTC