President Trump’s chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says that the president is still on good terms with Kim Jong Un, despite Trump walking out of a meeting with North Korea’s leader without a deal in hand.
Mulvaney, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference Friday night, said the summit in Vietnam was a great trip and that he was “extraordinarily proud” of Trump.
“The president really is a master negotiator, and he was able to walk away from a deal,” Mulvaney said. “And did so in such a fashion to keep all of the connections, all of the relationships still intact.”
Mulvaney’s comments came during a guided discussion with Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union.
Mulvaney accompanied the president to Asia as part of ongoing U.S. negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear program. He said that despite Trump walking out of a meeting with Kim and failing to secure a deal, there was no ill will between the two. Mulvaney said Trump wanted a deal but was not “desperate” for one.
“All I can tell you is he did exactly what you and I would have wanted him to do,” Mulvaney told Schlapp. “There was no way he could take the deal that the North Koreans offered him.”
Mulvaney said that Trump found it “very important” that he shake Kim’s hand before leaving negotiations, keeping the door open for further discussions.
“To tell somebody ‘no’ and not have them get angry with you is really a skill, and I’ve never seen it done like he was able to do,” Mulvaney added.
The chief of staff also mused at the size of the crowds lining the streets of Hanoi during the summit. He attributed the crowd size to Trump’s persona.
“I was stunned by that in a socialist country. His brand is international,” Mulvaney told Schlapp.
Also during the interview, Mulvaney discussed the president’s schedule and decried those who believe Trump isn’t working hard. Trump’s chief of staff said that he is with him every single day and knows when the phone calls and tweets start and end. He also said Trump is an avid reader, despite reports to the contrary.
“It’s the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New York Post, and the Wall Street Journal, cover-to-cover every single day,” Mulvaney said of Trump’s reading habits.
Mulvaney was chosen by Trump to be his acting chief of staff in December after his predecessor John Kelly resigned. Mulvaney is also the director of the Office of Management and Budget, a title he still holds despite the new role.
Although serving in an acting capacity, no successor has been announced, and Mulvaney continues to serve indefinitely.
During his more than two-month tenure, Mulvaney has reportedly butted heads with Trump, specifically over funding for the border wall. Mulvaney also had critical words for Trump prior to the 2016 presidential election, calling him a “terrible human being” during a debate in South Carolina.
Despite any past animosity, Mulvaney said the president was doing a great job and that the White House is “a fun place to work.”
CPAC runs for three days. Trump is expected to address attendees of the conference Saturday.
