Mnuchin: ‘Terrific Symbol’ Of Trump’s Name On Stimulus Checks Was My Idea

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin predicted that there will be a “big rebound” as the country “gets comfortable” reopening the economy, during an interview on CNN Sunday morning.

When asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper about how he told lawmakers last month that the unemployment rate could theoretically climb as high as 20%, Mnuchin said “hopefully we won’t be there” and that the reopening of the economy would involve getting more money out to the Paycheck Protection Program, more people hired back to work and more progress on testing.

Pressed about President Trump’s name appearing in the memo line of stimulus checks for $1,200, Mnuchin claimed that it was his idea.

“The President could have been authorized to sign the checks — that would have slowed things down,” Mnuchin said. “We didn’t want to do that. We did put the President’s name on the check — that was my idea. He is the President and I think it’s a terrific symbol to the American public.”

Mnuchin says there will be a "big rebound" as the economy is reopened and that it was his idea to put the President's name on the stimulus checks pic.twitter.com/oyOeJ4siy4

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) April 19, 2020