On Sunday, Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary, said that it was he who came up with the idea to put President Trump‘s name on the stimulus checks being sent to Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic as relief.

“We did put the president’s name on the check,” he said during his appearance on CNN, adding: “That was my idea. He is the President, and I think it’s a terrific symbol to the American public.”

It was abundantly clear that his comments were made assuage the backlash received by the President and the rest of his administration. After a story published by The Washington Post last week, which reported that the President had privately suggested having his name printed on the checks to Mnuchin.

The Post also reported that senior agency officials with the IRS had claimed the move to print Trump’s name on the checks would cause delays for some payments.

President Trump, when asked earlier, if he had been interested in signing the stimulus checks being sent to Americans, denied the reports saying: “Me sign? No.”

“There’s millions of checks. I’m going to sign them? No. It’s a Trump administration initiative. But do I want to sign them? No,” he continued.

During a briefing last week, he also denied knowing “too much about” the decision to have his names printed on the paper checks. 

“I do understand it’s not delaying anything, and I’m satisfied with that. I don’t imagine it’s a big deal.” Trump said then. “I’m sure people will be very happy to get a big, fat, beautiful check, and my name is on it.” 

President Trump will be the first president to have his name appear on disbursements from the IRS. Because multiple news outlets have reported that as President, he is not authorized to sign the payments, so his name will appear off to the side on the checks.