Trump infrastructure adviser resigns; President touts plan as job creator

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Updated Apr 14, 2018

TrumpA week after President Donald Trump traveled to Ohio to push his infrastructure plan, the designer of the $200 billion proposal has announced his resignation.

D.J. Gribbin, the special assistant to the president for infrastructure, joined the White House in January 2017 and is credited with developing the infrastructure plan, which calls for $200 billion in federal spending over 10 years. The plan introduced to Congress in February also calls for attracting $1.3 trillion in private, local and state funding for road, bridge and other transportation projects.

As the plan hit a roadblock in Congress, Trump hit the road to Ohio on March 29 to tout the proposal as not only a way to upgrade the country’s infrastructure, but as a job creator.

The Council of Economic Advisers estimates that $1.5 trillion spent on infrastructure over 10 years would bring 290,000 to 414,000 additional jobs, according to a White House statement.

During his remarks, however, Trump said he doubted congressional movement on the plan would occur before the November elections.

The White House has also indicated that it will continue to push for the proposal, despite Gribbin’s departure.

U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta released a blog April 4 in which he praised the plan as a job creator.

“The president’s plan to strengthen our nation’s infrastructure — including modernizing roads, bridges, tunnels and airports — represents an outstanding opportunity for Americans to build their career while building a stronger foundation for our nation,” he wrote. “This is a great time to be a job-seeker in America.”