Mnuchin on Posing with Wife, New $1 Bills: ‘Compliment’ I Look Like a Bond Villain

WALLACE: Finally, I have to ask you about something that has gotten a lot of attention this week. You and your wife went this week to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to check out the first dollar bills with your signature on it, which I’m sure was exciting. The pictures went viral.

Mr. Secretary, some folks — and I’m looking at the picture here, which you can’t see, say that you two look like two villains from a James Bond movie. I’m sure you’ve heard that. I guess my question is, what would you thinking?

MNUCHIN: I heard that. I never thought I’d be quoted is looking like villains from the James Bond. I guess I should take that as a compliment that I look like a villain in a great, successful James Bond movie.

But, let me just say, I was very excited of having my signature on the money. It’s obviously a great privilege and a great honor and something I’m very proud of being the secretary and look forward to helping the American people.

WALLACE: And why, just briefly, did you decide that you and your wife would have fun with the money and take those pictures?

MNUCHIN: Well, again, I didn’t realize that the pictures were public and going on the Internet and viral. But people have the right to do that. People can express what they want. That’s the great thing about social media today. People can say and communicate what they want.

WALLACE: And they do.

And I want to ask you about one other aspect of this, because every Treasury secretary I’ve ever known signs their name on the dollar bill. You printed your name on the dollar bill. I know this is a pressing question, but, how come?

MNUCHIN: I changed my signature. I had a very, very messy signature that you could barely read. It was very effective at signing things. But I felt since it was going to be on the dollar bill forever, I should have a nice, clean signature.

WALLACE: Secretary Mnuchin, I think we can all agree on that, it is a very clean signature. Thank you so much. Thanks for your time, sir. And we’ll track development in the Senate as they take up tax reform.

MNUCHIN: Thanks, Chris. Great to be here with you.