U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for prolonging the government shutdown, saying Democrats need to vote to reopen the government.

Bessent has kept markets in check recently, although Trump’s initial unveiling of steep “reciprocal tariffs” in April triggered a stock market rout. The US president was forced to pause the tariffs and start making deals to lower some of them.

"I believe that we have the framework for the two leaders to have a very productive meeting for both sides," the Treasury secretary said.

The Trump administration has moved money around to pay troops, but the financial juggling act can't go on much longer, Bessent suggested.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for "sound monetary policy" during a meeting with Japanese counterpart Satsuki Katayama, his department said on Tuesday, in the latest swipe at the slow pace of interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan.

Bessent revealed the candidate pool has been narrowed down to five people and stressed that Trump will choose the nominee.

Scott Bessent said Ontario's anti-tariff ad, featuring quotes from Ronald Reagan, was "propaganda" aimed at swaying public opinion.

There isn’t a single industry that Donald Trump hasn’t influenced with his unpredictable choices. From federal employees to those depending on government assistance for food, soybean farmers to cattle ranchers,