David Bossie: Trump Will ‘Use Executive Orders Less and Less’

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – David Bossie, former deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, told PJM that President Trump’s new executive order on travel from Muslim majority countries will be “more narrow” and a “little more lawyered up” compared to the last one.

During a Thursday interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the president and chairman of conservative advocacy group Citizens United was asked for his response to criticism of Trump issuing a series of executive orders on a variety of issues without Congress.

“An executive order on the transgender bathrooms is just getting rid of Obama’s executive order, so I think there’s a good use for them. I think he will, as time goes by, I think, use executive orders less and less because he’s going to be into the legislative process. But initially, in the first 30, 60 days, it’s the way to get the wheels moving and I think he’s using them in a very effective way including on immigration,” Bossie said.

Many Republicans were critical of former President Obama’s use of executive orders, particularly on immigration.

Bossie was asked if he thinks it is a good idea for Trump to implement another executive action on immigration from Muslim-majority countries given how his first one was blocked by federal courts.

“Yeah, I think you are going to see a new executive order on that very soon and I think this time it will be as the court had said. I think it will be a little more narrow. I think it will be a little more lawyered up, if you will, and I think I’m excited to see it,” he said.

Bossie also weighed in on the status of the repeal and replacement process of Obamacare. Some Republican members of Congress have faced angry crowds at town hall meetings in their districts over the lack of a proposed replacement at this time.

“The president needs to fulfill a campaign promise, which is repeal and replace. Now, we all know that’s not going to be an overnight thing, but he has to continue to say that and he has to continue to push Congress to come up with the answers. He doesn’t necessarily have the answers and it’s not required that he have the answers. He lived on a campaign promise that he said, ‘I’m going to repeal and replace it,’” Bossie said.

“There was never a specific of what the blueprint was going to be, but there is a blueprint that it has to happen. It is wrecking the American healthcare system – the costs are out of control. People can’t afford the premiums. They can’t afford the deductibles. It’s wrecking small businesses. It’s a problem and it’s not going away, so he’s going to have to continue. And I’m very optimistic he’s going to have a very good result in the next 30 or 60 days,” he added.

When asked if he would be joining the White House, Bossie replied with a smile, “Maybe in the visitors line.”