Ex-Goldman Sachs banker Mnuchin confirmed as US treasury secretary
Steven Mnuchin was confirmed as Donald Trump's treasury secretary on Monday after the former Goldman Sachs executive was approved narrowly in the Senate.
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Voting almost exclusively along party lines, Mnuchin was confirmed by 53-47, despite consistent claims from Democrats that his links with the investment bank would hinder his ability to perform his duties effectively.
The vote was the latest in a series of heavily scrutinised confirmation hearings for President Trump's appointments, with education secretary Betsy DeVos only being confirmed via a tiebreak intervention from Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump congratulated his choice for the position via Twitter on Monday.
Congratulations Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin! #ICYMI- watch here: https://t.co/RPsmw4yD7y pic.twitter.com/K8tWLlXiYK
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2017
Prominent Democrat senator Elizabeth Warren lashed out at the decision to appoint Mnuchin, accusing the President of having "talked a big game on Wall Street".
"Personnel is policy," Warren said in a statement. "Hiring Steve Mnuchin and all these Goldman Sachs executives shows that President Trump has no interest in reducing Wall Street’s influence. If Wall Street threatens to blow up the economy again, does anyone seriously expect Steve Mnuchin to tell his buddies to knock it off?"
Those on the Republican side of the aisle backed Mnuchin however, pointing to his wealth of experience in the private sector as a significant attribute.
Majority leader Mitch McConnell said that the former banker "is smart, he's capable, and he's got impressive private-sector experience".