In the past few days, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been at the center of a number of major headlines. He made waves after appearing at the Supreme Court this week for arguments regarding President Donald Trump’s sweeping use of emergency tariff powers. According to Fox Business, Bessent said he felt very optimistic after listening to the justices question the legality of the tariffs, which were imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He told Larry Kudlow that the case presented by the administration’s solicitor general was powerful and that he expects the court to uphold President Trump’s authority. Bessent criticized the plaintiffs challenging the tariffs, calling their case embarrassingly weak and suggesting they did not understand foundational economics.

He also defended the tariffs, describing them as a deliberate strategy meant to protect American industry in the short term but phased out as the economic balance improved. Bessent framed the tariff fight as critical not just for economic reasons but for national security as well, pointing to the administration’s tariffs on Chinese fentanyl-related products and declaring these had brought China to the table on the issue of chemical precursors. He dismissed concerns about the consumer impact of tariffs and argued that, since other countries have used tariffs for decades, they must not burden consumers as much as critics suggest.

On another front, Bessent has been managing fallout from the ongoing government shutdown, now the longest in United States history. According to a report from Holland and Knight, Bessent warned that while service members were paid at the end of October, it is unlikely they will get their next paychecks in mid November unless the shutdown ends. Bessent and administration officials have also shifted funds to extend Essential Air Service operations for rural airports but are struggling to find resources for other critical services.

A significant administrative shift came as Bessent announced the end of the IRS Direct File free tax filing program for the next season. Speaking at the White House, Bessent said there are better alternatives to Direct File and argued that the private sector can handle tax preparation more effectively. The Associated Press reports that, despite positive reviews from taxpayers who used Direct File, the Treasury decided to discontinue the system amidst pressure from private industry and Republican lawmakers.

With these recent developments, Bessent has firmly positioned himself as a defender of Trump administration economic policies, advocating for trade measures, navigating a historic shutdown, and reshaping government services. Thank you for tuning in and be sure to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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