Kevin Hassett, the National Economic Council director, posted his unrestrained exuberance over the United States’ economic future. So even beyond TPP, listen to what he said about the future of international trade in a recent interview on Fox Business. He celebrated the fact that more than a dozen countries have released “amazing” offers in these trade negotiations. In those negotiations, he argued that these agreements were “great wins” for the country.
Hassett’s remarks come in the wake of President Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs, a decision that he believes will further bolster the economic trajectory of the country. He stated, “Consumers are buying up foreign goods because they are worried about future tariffs,” indicating a shift in market behavior as businesses and consumers navigate the uncertainty surrounding international trade policies.
We do return to that 100% confidence level that the U.S. will 100% not be in a recession this year. He forecast no recession in 2025. He ought to be confident, given the buoyant data from last week’s blockbuster U.S. jobs report. He referred to it as “really, really good.” He painted a rosy picture of the positive trends in the economy. He said that it’s “through the roof, anecdotally,” summing up his optimism for a vibrant and booming economic corridor.
Hassett emphasized his point by sharing that business execs are calling him. They are making the moves and future promises to start moving operations overseas back to America. This trend is a marker of a possible new momentum in the corporate playbook as companies increasingly try to cash in on good things brewing on the home front.
The director rejected suggestions that President Trump or White House officials engaged in insider trading. “There was no insider trading at the White House,” Hassett reiterated, dispelling concerns that have arisen in light of recent scrutiny on government dealings and market influences.
Hassett’s sunny optimism reflects the mood of many economic forecasters and corporate chieftains. From their perspective, they’re seeing a powerful return of job growth and improving consumer sentiment. The U.S. finds itself at a historic tipping point in its relationship with foreign markets. As it wrestles with ever-shifting tariffs and trade agreements, talks of trade relationships and economic resiliency have proven to be essential.