SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY IS INTERVIEWED ON FOX NEWS

TRANSCRIPTMarch 15, 2025NEWS EVENTSCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARYSCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY IS INTERVIEWED ON FOXNEWSVIQ Media Transcription, Inc.20 East Thomas Road, Suite 2200Phoenix, AZ [email protected] 2025. Provided under license from VIQ Media Transcription, Inc.All materials herein are protected by United States copyright lawand/or license from VIQ Media Transcription, Inc., and may not bereproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published orbroadcast without the prior written permission ofVIQ Media Transcription, Inc.You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or othernotice from copies of the content.SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY IS INTERVIEWED ON FOXNEWSMARCH 15, 2025SPEAKERS:SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARYLARA TRUMP, FOX NEWS HOST LARA TRUMP, FOX NEWS HOST: Well, fortunately, joining us next is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and he's keeping track of all of it. He joins me now. Secretary Bessent, thank you so much. Look, I think people are getting into cryptocurrency in a very big way. It seems like it's something that's here to stay. So from your perspective as Treasury Secretary, how does it fit into the overall U.S. economy, and where does the government stand on regulations? SCOTT BESSENT, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: Good. Well, thanks for having me on the show. And as I think this administration has made abundantly clear, digital assets are here to stay, and we are going to make the U.S. the digital asset hub of the world. For the past four years, the crypto community, digital assets, the administration retarded their growth, and we are going — we are set to accelerate that through a positive partnership and through smart regulation. The Senate and House are both pushing through very sound safe bills to bring crypto and digital assets onshore in the U.S. and to make sure that the U.S. is both the financial and the technological leader. L. TRUMP: Tariffs, it is something everybody is talking about right now. I want to give everybody a listen to President Trump. He feels very confident about the outcome of all these tariffs. Listen to this really quickly. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: Drops and markets are going to go up, they are going to down. But you know what? We have to rebuild our country. Our country has been stripped of its jobs, of its factories, and we're going to change it around. And it's all taxing policy. You know, it's really a policy because we have great workers, great people. It's really a policy of taxing and incentives, and I'm bringing the incentives back. (END VIDEO CLIP) L. TRUMP: So the President says there, he is bringing the incentives back. He wants manufacturing growth. He wants job growth here in the United States, that's really the overall goal of these tariffs. But Secretary, are you as confident as the President that these will be effective? BESSENT: Lara, I couldn't — I couldn't be more confident. And look, these tariffs have become a bit demonized over the past few weeks. I think over the coming weeks, as the administration led by the President, Commerce, USTR, with some add-ons from Treasury, we are going to see a long term plan for reindustrializing the U.S., as the President talked about, and for making trade more fair. The bottom 50 percent who don't own assets, should get real wage increases, enjoy economic security, and that's why President Trump is in the Oval today. L. TRUMP: You talked about an affordability czar. Tell me what that is. That sounds like something that a lot of people could get behind. BESSENT: Look I think it's the issue of the day. In the past four years, we have seen this affordability crisis in the U.S., average households, working Americans unable to groceries, insurance, health care, housing, autos, and we've got to — we are in the first stages of putting a break on the inflation, so that's the first step. We're going to have an affordability czar, an Affordability Council, and that person and that group will be tasked with helping me find solutions for the American people, whether it's in housing, it's in insurance, it's in energy, it's in groceries. So what are the things that we can do short term, medium term and long term to make sure that we never see a spike like this again? L. TRUMP: Well, that is music to a lot of people's ears, I think who have been struggling, Secretary, over the past several years, and help is on the way, and we like the sound of an affordability czar. Now, let me ask you this. This is a question I always wonder. I did not know that the Treasury Secretary was actually fifth in line to the presidency. Do you ever think about that? BESSENT: Well, for those who have watched the T.V. show, "Designated Survivor," which my children like, I never want that to happen. The you know, I love the President, the Vice President. It says that on paper. I think what might be interesting for your viewers, Lara is how — what is the ordering of the Cabinet members and Secretary Rubio informed me the other day that it is based on when the positions were created. L. TRUMP: That's so cool. Well, we're all learning a lot today. I also — you know, go back to the election and what people came out and voted for in this country often. So many people. Came out and voted for President Trump because of the economy. As Treasury Secretary, that gives you a huge role in what happens over the next four years. How does your family feel about all of this? BESSENT: As you know, because you came and visited during the campaign, we had a nice life down in Charleston, South Carolina. We've interrupted that, but I will tell you, this is a dream of a lifetime, to be able to give back. America has been great to me, to my family, to be able to come here and help President Trump accomplish his agenda every day. And as you said, it's not quite 24/7 but he is 21/7 every day, and I've had the busiest day I've ever had since the I came in in January and I'm loving it. L. TRUMP: When you walk out of your office on the last day as the Secretary of the United States Treasury, where do you want to see this economy in our country? BESSENT: I want to see inflation low. I want to see the economy humming along with a combination of manufacturing jobs, and as I've consistently said, President Trump is for Main Street. So I want to have seen Main Street have done great, that we have good, high paying jobs back, that we have the affordability crisis under control. I want America to be back on top and leading the free world as we've always done. L. TRUMP: Great job so far, Secretary Scott Bessent. Thank you so much for joining us on MY VIEW tonight. BESSENT: Good to see you, and congratulations on the show. END