Mark Meadows facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Meadows
|
|
|---|---|
Official Congressional Portrait, 2013
|
|
| 29th White House Chief of Staff | |
| In office March 31, 2020 – January 20, 2021 |
|
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Emma Doyle Tony Ornato Chris Liddell Dan Scavino |
| Preceded by | Mick Mulvaney (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Ron Klain |
| Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee | |
| In office March 12, 2020 – March 30, 2020 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim Jordan |
| Succeeded by | Jim Jordan |
| Chair of the House Freedom Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – October 1, 2019 |
|
| Deputy | Jim Jordan |
| Preceded by | Jim Jordan |
| Succeeded by | Andy Biggs |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 11th district |
|
| In office January 3, 2013 – March 30, 2020 |
|
| Preceded by | Heath Shuler |
| Succeeded by | Madison Cawthorn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mark Randall Meadows
July 28, 1959 Verdun, France |
| Citizenship | US |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Debbie Meadows
(m. 1979) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of South Florida (AA) |
Mark Randall Meadows (born July 28, 1959) is an American politician. He served as the 29th White House chief of staff for President Donald Trump from 2020 to 2021. Before that, he was a U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th congressional district from 2013 to 2020.
As a member of the Republican Party, Meadows was a strong supporter of Donald Trump. He was also a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers in the House of Representatives. During his time in Congress, he was known for his very conservative views.
Meadows became the White House chief of staff in March 2020. In this role, he helped manage the Trump administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also played a part in efforts to question the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mark Meadows was born in Verdun, France, on July 28, 1959. His father was serving in the U.S. Army there, and his mother was a nurse. He grew up in Brandon, Florida.
Meadows attended Florida State University for one year. He later earned an Associate of Arts from the University of South Florida. For some time, his official biography incorrectly stated he had a bachelor's degree.
Early Career and Business Ventures
In 1987, Meadows opened a small restaurant called "Aunt D's" in Highlands, North Carolina. He later sold it and used the money to start a real estate company in Florida.
While living in Highlands, Meadows was involved in local politics. He served as the chairman of the Republican Party in Macon County. He also helped with economic development in Western North Carolina. In 2011, he moved to Glenville, North Carolina. He owns Highlands Properties, a company that builds and develops land.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In Congress, Mark Meadows had a very conservative voting record. He was a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republicans. He also signed the "Contract from America," which was a list of ten policy goals supported by the Tea Party movement.
Views on Disaster Relief Spending
Meadows voted against money for disaster relief after Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeastern United States in 2012. He and some other Republicans said the bill included unnecessary spending. Later, in 2017, he voted for disaster aid after Hurricane Harvey caused damage in Texas and Louisiana. Critics pointed out that he seemed to support aid for Republican states but not for Democratic ones. Meadows said the situations were different because the Harvey bill did not have "pork" (extra spending not related to the disaster).
Role in the 2013 Government Shutdown
Meadows played an important part in the 2013 United States federal government shutdown. In August 2013, he wrote a letter to House leaders. He asked them to stop funding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in any spending bills. Many other Republican lawmakers signed this letter.
The shutdown happened because lawmakers could not agree on a budget. Meadows said he was doing what his voters wanted. He believed it was important to fight against Obamacare, even if it meant closing parts of the government temporarily.
Efforts to Change House Leadership
In July 2015, Meadows tried to start a vote to remove John Boehner as Speaker of the House. Meadows believed Boehner had too much power and was not letting other members have enough say. He also felt Boehner was punishing members who voted their conscience.
Speaker Boehner said it was "no big deal" and that he had wide support. However, Boehner later announced he would resign in October 2015.
Congressional Committees and Caucuses
During his time in the House, Meadows was a member of several important committees and caucuses. These groups focus on different areas of government work.
He was on the:
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
He was also part of caucuses like the:
- Congressional Western Caucus
- U.S.-Japan Caucus
- House Freedom Caucus
- Second Amendment Caucus
Congressional Elections
2012 Election
In late 2011, Meadows decided to run for Congress in North Carolina's 11th district. The district lines had been changed, making it more Republican. Meadows won the Republican primary and then the general election in November 2012. He took office in January 2013.
Re-elections (2014, 2016, 2018)
Meadows was re-elected to his seat in 2014, 2016, and 2018. In 2016, he appeared with Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. Meadows supported Trump's agenda throughout his re-election campaigns.
2020 Election Decision
On December 19, 2019, Meadows announced that he would not run for re-election in 2020.
White House Chief of Staff Role
In March 2020, President Donald Trump chose Mark Meadows to be his next White House Chief of Staff. This is a very important job, acting as the President's top aide and manager of the White House staff. Meadows resigned from Congress on March 30, 2020, and started his new role the next day.
Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
As chief of staff, Meadows played a big part in the Trump administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He pushed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make rules for COVID-19 vaccine trials less strict. He also told White House health experts to stick to the President's message.
In October 2020, Meadows said it was not possible to "control the pandemic." He focused instead on finding vaccines and treatments. He also advised President Trump not to openly support wearing masks.
Actions After the 2020 Election
After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Meadows helped President Trump in his efforts to challenge the election results. He contacted election officials in Georgia to discuss the state's results. Meadows also connected Trump with a former judge who believed the Vice President could refuse to count electoral votes from certain states.
Meadows also asked the Justice Department to investigate claims of election fraud. These claims were later found to be untrue.
Career After the White House
After leaving the White House in January 2021, Mark Meadows became a leader at the Conservative Partnership Institute. This group works to help elect conservative politicians.
Political Views and Positions
Mark Meadows holds strong views on many political topics.
Economy and Spending
Meadows supports a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This would require the government to spend only what it takes in. He is against "earmarks," which are special spending items added to bills. He also believes military spending should not be cut.
Meadows opposed federal stimulus spending during the Obama administration. However, as Trump's chief of staff, he supported Trump's plans for federal spending to boost the economy. He is against raising taxes and supports a flat-rate income tax for everyone. He also wants to get rid of the estate tax.
Environment and Energy
Meadows has pushed for getting rid of federal money used to study climate change. He also asked for the repeal of several environmental rules. These included the Renewable Fuel Standard and the ban on drilling for oil on federal lands. He also wanted the U.S. to leave the Paris Climate Agreement. Meadows is against cap-and-trade policies, which aim to reduce pollution. He supports drilling for oil and gas offshore.
Social Issues
Meadows is against same-sex marriage. He also opposes any restrictions on gun purchases and a national gun registry. He is against rules that require internet providers to offer internet at equal speeds to all parties.
Health Care
Meadows opposes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He believes it should be replaced by private health care options. He voted to repeal and replace Obamacare with the American Health Care Act (AHCA).
After the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported on the AHCA's effects, Meadows reportedly became emotional. He spoke about how the bill might affect people with pre-existing health conditions, including his own family members. He said he wanted to make sure pre-existing conditions would still be covered.
Foreign Policy
Meadows is a strong supporter of Israel. He believes that past withdrawals of Israeli forces did not bring peace. He is also against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which targets Israel.
Meadows was among a group of Republicans who did not condemn Trump's decision to withdraw forces from Syria in 2019. He also voted to end U.S. assistance to the war in Yemen.
See also
In Spanish: Mark Meadows para niños
