A senior administration official told Playbook bluntly: "It takes a lot to unite this administration around a cohesive point of view. Josh Shapiro praised Mullin at the National Governors Association meeting. When asked if Shapiro's praise hurt Mullin more than other criticisms, an official told Politico, "Yes. A former administration official characterized Mullin's management style as fundamentally misaligned with his role. "He acts like this is an embassy job," the official told Playbook.