Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday that President Donald Trump initially refused to sign the coronavirus relief package to send a "message" about his displeasure with it.
Although Trump signed the bill Sunday, he waited several days to sign the $900 billion bill that Congress passed last week.
"I think what he was trying to do was simply trying to send the message that he wasn't happy with the bill," Mulvaney told CNBC.
"I think the president was sending the message that Congress is broken — and it is," he added. "I think a lot of us were relieved he did sign the bill, because I don't think there was a plan if he didn't, but I don't think he's happy about it."
Trump wrote in a statement Sunday: "As president, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child."
A measure to increase the size of the stimulus payments is set to be submitted in the House, but it is unclear how it would fare in the GOP-controlled Upper Chamber.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.