NEED TO KNOW
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rebranded TDS from “Trump” to “Tariff Derangement Syndrome.”
- Bessent insisted that nearly every economist is wrong, except for the ones on his payroll.
- The administration plans to fix inflation by yelling at charts until they submit.
Economic Outlook Now Based on Vibes and Loyalty
During a live CNBC appearance, Bessent dismissed bipartisan warnings about Trump’s tariff-fueled megabill. Instead of discussing bond yields or macro forecasts, he offered a fresh diagnosis: tariff derangement syndrome. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” he claimed, while gesturing at a line graph that looked suspiciously like a McDonald’s receipt.
Experts Question Whether ‘Math’ Still Counts as Economic Policy
Economists from across the political spectrum expressed concern. However, Bessent brushed off the critiques by labeling them emotionally unstable. “You either believe in Trump’s economy, or you believe in numbers,” he said. “But not both.” His office later released a statement suggesting numbers “can be misleading when they go down.”
Federal Reserve Asked to Consider ‘More Patriotic’ Interest Rates
Bessent is now reportedly pressuring the Fed to adopt what he calls “symbolic inflation,” where rising costs are rebranded as growth indicators. One internal memo floated replacing CPI data with “gut feeling” and “general optimism about golf course development.”
Trump Administration Unveils Loyalty-Based Forecasting Model
According to insiders, the White House now ranks economists based on three metrics: number of cable news hits, belief in trickle-down magic, and willingness to call recessions “fake news.” Notably, all models assume tariffs boost morale, if not GDP.
Quote of the Moment
The only curve we’re flattening is your expectation of competence
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
