The new director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney, is prepared to be the "bad cop" in Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE's administration.



"Part of the job is saying 'no,'" Mulvaney said in an interview with the Post and Courier on Friday. "To a certain extent, I have to be the president's bad cop from time to time."



"I have to look people in the eye and tell them, 'No, we don't have enough money for that.' That is not a very popular thing to do in Washington," he added.



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"I think the president knows — and I'm not sure what it says about my personality — that I'm going to be damn good at this job," Mulvaney told the newspaper.





The former lawmaker's new position will involve oversight of executive orders, federal regulations and some degree of management of federal agencies.

"It is involved with everything. And I thought, 'That's where I want to be,'" Mulvaney told the Post and Courier.



"The reason I wanted this job and took this job is I will be involved in that process. I am 100 percent confident the reasonable, fiscal conservative point of view will have a voice in this White House. And that means a great deal to me."

Mulvaney, a former Republican congressman from South Carolina, was narrowly confirmed by a 51-49 vote in the Senate on Thursday.Mulvaney's past support of defense cuts and withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan sparked strong opposition from some conservative senators, including Sen.(R-Ariz.).