Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told reporters Wednesday he'd describe President Trump's 2018 proposal as a "hard power budget." "It is not a soft power budget," Mulvaney said. “This is a hard power budget and that was done intentionally."
Trump's budget plan unveiled Thursday morning proposes a $54 billion boost in defense spending, as well as an increase in border security spending. "The president very clearly wants to send a message to our allies and our potential adversaries that this is strong power administration," Mulvaney said. He noted the budget will likely include "a request for $1.5 billion as the first installment for Trump's promised wall" on the U.S.-Mexico border.
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Trump's budget proposal has a slim chance of becoming reality, as Republican leaders have already indicated major parts of the blueprint would not survive Congress. Mulvaney said Trump will release a full budget in May, which will include a "10-year projection" on the border wall.
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