Treasury Secretary Bessent Drives Economic Agenda Focused on Main Street America

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been actively engaged on the international stage in recent days. On May 21, 2025, he met with Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato during the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings in Banff, Canada. Their discussions centered on the U.S.-Japan economic relationship, global security concerns, and ongoing bilateral trade negotiations. Both officials reaffirmed their shared belief that exchange rates should be market determined, specifically noting that the current dollar-yen rate reflects economic fundamentals.

Bessent's trip to Canada began on May 20, when he traveled to Banff to participate in the G7 Finance Ministers meeting. His agenda focused on addressing global economic imbalances and non-market practices in both G7 and non-G7 countries, while emphasizing the need to generate private sector-led growth.

Just days ago, on May 23, Secretary Bessent gave a notable interview to Bloomberg's David Westin for Wall Street Week. During this conversation, he discussed President Trump's tax bill currently moving through Congress, efforts to establish new trade deals, developments in the bond market, and potential easing of rules restricting trading in the Treasuries market. Bessent also addressed questions about Harvard University's tax-exempt status.

Earlier this month, on May 7, Bessent delivered testimony before the House Committee on Financial Services where he highlighted the administration's progress on inflation. He noted that the Consumer Price Index for energy goods declined in March, as did the price index for core goods, with the CPI for all items declining for the first time since the COVID pandemic.

During his congressional appearance, Bessent also emphasized Treasury's focus on improving governmental efficiency, particularly at the IRS. He reported that the department successfully cut $2 billion from the IRS IT budget without operational disruptions by eliminating wasteful contracts and addressing inefficiencies like auto-renewed licenses that had gone unused for years.

Bessent has positioned himself as a proponent of economic policies that benefit Main Street, stating in a recent address to the American Bankers Association that "for the next four years, the Trump agenda is focused on Main Street. It's Main Street's turn to hire workers. It's Main Street's turn to drive investment, and it's Main Street's turn to restore the American Dream."

The Treasury Secretary continues to advocate for making the Trump tax cuts permanent and has been working closely with Congress to advance legislation to that effect, which he believes is key to expanding economic opportunity for all Americans.