During a recent appearance on Fox Business, Trump Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly took a jab at NBC’s Kristen Welker after being questioned about the potential for a recession.
On “Meet the Press,” Welker had asked Bessent if he could guarantee that there would be no recession during Trump’s presidency.
Bessent’s response at the time was, “there are no guarantees,” reflecting the uncertainty in the market influenced by Trump’s trade policies.
In a follow-up on Fox Business with Maria Bartiromo, Bessent seized the opportunity to revisit the question, which he described as “silly.”
He remarked that while he cannot assure anyone that a recession won’t occur, he believes there is no necessity for one.
“Yeah. Well, look, it was a silly question. Can you guarantee there is not going to be a recession? I can’t guarantee anything.” Bessent said.
“I can’t guarantee that the journalist who asked me the question that her news program is going to be on in a year.” he continued.
“But, what I can guarantee you is that there is no reason we need to have a recession. I think that there is — the economy in the first quarter is doing better than the media is reporting.” he added.
Bessent emphasized that the economy is performing better than media reports suggest, citing robust data from credit card companies and banks.
He attributed disappointing airline passenger numbers to a lack of federal employees flying, suggesting that the underlying economic indicators are solid.
Bessent also critiqued the unsustainable level of government spending, stating that if the current trajectory continues, it could lead to a financial crisis.
He assured viewers that under Trump’s leadership, efforts are being made to control spending and bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., ultimately aiming to make life more affordable for American workers.
This exchange comes amid a broader narrative of Trump attacking the media and refusing questions from their reporters, highlighting the ongoing tensions between his administration and various news outlets.
Bessent’s comments reflect a larger strategy of pushing back against unfavorable media portrayals while attempting to present a positive economic outlook.
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