Blog

Days after Scott Bessent dazzled JP Morgan with closed-door comments (aka not Main Street) that the tariff standoff with China is unsustainable, the US Treasury Secretary is set to deliver comments on Wednesday at the IIF Global Outlook Forum regarding the state of the global financial system as the Trump administration seeks to tamp down rhetoric over China.

According to a copy of Bessent's prepared remarks, he is set to tell the IIF that "America First does not mean America Alone," and that the International Monetary Fund must prioritize economic and financial sustainability. He is calling for IMF and World Bank reforms after "mission creep," and will say that the Trump administration wants to work with them.

"Going forward, the Trump Administration will leverage U.S. leadership and influence at these institutions and push them to accomplish their important mandates," Bessent said, adding "The United States will also demand that the management and staff of these institutions be accountable for demonstrating real progress."

According to a report by the WSJ minutes before Bessent's speech, the Trump administration "is considering slashing its steep tariffs on Chinese imports—in some cases by more than half—in a bid to de-escalate tensions with Beijing."

Watch Treasury Secretary Bessent speak live here (due to start at 1000ET):

Bessent's comments also come after President Donald Trump softened his tone on the unfolding trade war between the world's two largest economies – to which China's foreign ministry spokesman, Guo Jiakun replied "our doors are wide open."

According to Tuesday comments by Trump, "very high" tariffs on Chinese imports will "come down substantially, but it won't be zero."

"I think we're going to live together very happily and ideally work together, so I think it's going to work out very well," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump notably excluded China from a pause on "reciprocal" tariffs that were extended to other trading partners in order to allow them time to negotiate – blaming China's retaliatory actions for its exclusion.

The China tariffs include a 125% reciprocal tariff on top of Trump's original 20% tariff related to the fentanyl trade. Combined with pre-existing Section 301 tariffs, some Chinese goods face levies as high as 245%.