Even though President Donald Trump's budget blueprint does not mention Social Security and Medicare, the administration is not "dodging the issue" and Trump will keep his campaign promises on the programs, said Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Trump said on the campaign trail that he would not cut Social Security or Medicare.
"The president is absolutely going to keep the promises he made on the campaign trail," Mulvaney added during a press conference on Thursday.
Mulvaney said spending that impacts programs such as Social Security and Medicare was not addressed in this blueprint "because that's not what this budget is." He added that a blueprint like this that deals with "top-line spending numbers" would not include spending related to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
"This is the discretionary part of the budget, half of which as you know is defense, the other half is everything else..." he said.
"Just because it's not here, doesn't mean we're dodging the issue," Mulvaney said.
The budget proposal does make some hefty cuts to federal programs like the EPA, the State Department, and USAID in favor of increased defense spending, the border wall, and deportations.
