Overview
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the president’s plan is working and forecast very strong growth, job gains and real income increases in 2026.
- He pointed to the Dow closing above 50,000 for the first time and strength in industrial shares as forward signals of broader expansion.
- Bessent asserted that China has fulfilled agreed soybean purchases under a November trade understanding and noted he joined Trump’s recent call with Xi Jinping.
- He credited tariffs and the use of IEEPA with attracting “trillions” in investment, predicting record U.S. factory groundbreakings in 2026 and citing John Deere’s new plants.
- Bessent highlighted easing price pressures, referencing a daily “trueflation” gauge below 1%, while critics point to December CPI near 2.7% year over year and unemployment around 4.4%.