Trump: 1 of ‘best ever’

Talking to supporters in North Carolina, Trump predicted that Meadows, who used to represent the western part of the state in Congress, will be remembered in history.

“He’s a great chief of staff — he’ll go down as one of the best ever,” Trump said about Meadows, who is reportedly taking the rest of the week off.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., acknowledged that Trump’s executive actions are “not the first choice.” But he applauded the president for stepping up. He and Meadows are not particularly close, but appear to have a good working relationship.

“Americans need more help,” McConnell said Wednesday, blaming Democrats for the impasse.

Meadows and Mnuchin often portray themselves as a White House team, but are at times at odds, within the administration and the GOP.

Mnuchin, the Yale-educated former Wall Street financier, draws wary skepticism from rank-and-file Republicans as too inclined to compromise with Democrats. He was the chief negotiator of the $2.5 trillion Cares Act virus aid package approved in March.

Meadows, with his Freedom Caucus roots, gives conservative Republicans who oppose such big spending some comfort that the White House won’t yield too much to Democrats.

“I don’t think it’s Meadows versus Mnuchin,” said former GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah.

Meadows, he said, brings

Capitol Hill experience, “and trust from the president, but I think the president also trusts his treasury secretary.”

Chaffetz said Meadows “gives them a lot of air cover for the conservative wing of the party.”