Republicans seethe after Steven Mnuchin's debt deal pitch: 'About as well received as his wife's Instagram post'

Though the House ultimately approved a $15.25 billion Harvey aid and debt-spending package Friday, many conservative Republicans weren't happy about Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's prodding for them to do so. After a Friday morning meeting at which Mnuchin reportedly told Republicans to "vote for the debt ceiling for me," some Republicans went on the record about their annoyance.
Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) said he found Mnuchin's comments to be "not helpful" and "intellectually insulting." "He's not one of my constituents!" Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) said. Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) complained that Mnuchin "could not answer" a question about what the debt ceiling would "look like in December," and described the treasury secretary's spiel as "a very arrogant lecture that turned off more of the conference." Meanwhile, Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) joked that Mnuchin's speech was "about as well received as his wife's Instagram post," referring to Mnuchin's new bride Louise Linton's recent controversial post boasting about all the expensive designer brands she was wearing.
Even before Mnuchin's pitch, Republicans weren't thrilled with the debt deal. President Trump caught his fellow party members off guard Wednesday when he signed on to Democrats' proposal for a short-term debt hike over Republican leaders' objections.
The House passed the package, which raises the debt ceiling and funds the federal government until Dec. 8 and allocates $15.25 billion for hurricane and disaster relief after Hurricane Harvey ravaged Texas and right before Hurricane Irma is expected to hit Florida. The measure was approved in a 316-90 vote. Of Republicans, 133 voted in favor, 90 voted against, and 16 didn't vote; four Texas Republicans were reportedly among those who voted no.
-
From Da Vinci to a golden toilet: a history of museum heists
In the Spotlight Following the ‘spectacular’ events at the Louvre, museums are ‘increasingly being targeted by criminal gangs’
-
Can Gen Z uprisings succeed where other protest movements failed?
Today's Big Question Apolitical and leaderless, youth-led protests have real power but are vulnerable to the strongman opportunist
-
The allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria
The Explainer West African nation has denied claims from US senator and broadcaster
-
Gold tops $4K per ounce, signaling financial unease
Speed Read Investors are worried about President Donald Trump’s trade war
-
Electronic Arts to go private in record $55B deal
speed read The video game giant is behind ‘The Sims’ and ‘Madden NFL’
-
New York court tosses Trump's $500M fraud fine
Speed Read A divided appeals court threw out a hefty penalty against President Trump for fraudulently inflating his wealth
-
Trump said to seek government stake in Intel
Speed Read The president and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly discussed the proposal at a recent meeting
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to China
Speed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance