Elections

Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling meets with Donald Trump in New York

By Alex Daugherty

adaugherty@mcclatchydc.com

November 17, 2016 01:40 PM

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, opens the first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the "supercommittee", on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011.
Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, opens the first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the "supercommittee", on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011. J. Scott Applewhite AP
Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, opens the first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the "supercommittee", on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011. J. Scott Applewhite AP
WASHINGTON

Another Texan made the trek to Trump Tower on Thursday.

Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Dallas met with Donald Trump on Thursday amid reports he is under consideration to serve in Trump’s Cabinet as treasury secretary.

“Obviously we talked about financial reform,” Hensarling said to pool reporters as he exited Trump Tower on Thursday afternoon. “I just wanted to tell the president-elect I’m on his team. Very excited to help drain the swamp, very excited to help get this economy working for working Americans again.”

Ironically, Hensarling’s meeting with Trump meant he missed a vote prohibiting the treasury secretary from authorizing transactions via the Export-Import Bank to Iran for the purposes of selling aircraft. Hensarling is a vocal opponent of the Export-Import Bank.

Republicans supported the bill, which passed on Thursday 243-174, but President Barack Obama said he will veto the bill if it passes the Senate.

Hensarling did not specifically mention the treasury secretary position after his meeting with Trump, but said he’s “ready to help” the president-elect.

“We were talking tax policy, we were talking Dodd-Frank, we were talking trade. This was a wonderful conversation, and I stand ready to help the president in any capacity possible,” Hensarling said. “I’ve got a great position in public policy today, if he wants to talk to me obviously, about serving somewhere else, we’ll look at serving somewhere else. But regardless, I’m on his team, I’m excited for what he can do for America, it was just a real honor to be here.”

Hensarling, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, was a noted opponent of the 2008 bailout and is a personal friend of Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

Ex-Goldman Sachs banker Steven Mnuchin, who served as the Trump campaign finance chair, is considered a leading contender for the position. Chase CEO Jamie Dimon reportedly said no to being Trump’s treasury secretary earlier on Thursday.

Alex Daugherty: 202-383-6049, @alextdaugherty

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