President Donald Trump did a phone interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box Tuesday morning, and it’s been making headlines all day long. The interview, in true Trump style, covered a multitude of issues, including the recent firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, tariffs, the state of the economy, and possible personnel maneuvers within his administration.
As RedState’s Katie Jerkovich covered earlier Tuesday, the Squawk Box crew even tried to fact check the president over his claim that he “got the highest vote in the history of Texas.” Turns out, he was correct. Per Katie:
Trump encouraged the host to do just that and check it out. After a short while, [co-host Joe] Kernan came back and shared that Trump was right. And the expression on his face said it all.
“Okay, so huh, here we go, you did get the highest number of votes in Texas,” the host explained. “So, that’s true.”
Trump interjected and said, “I did. Okay, you don’t have to say anything more, Joe. No, don’t say anything more, don’t qualify it by saying …”
Kernan replied, “You did,” and announced he was moving on.
Another thing Trump has clarity on is who won’t replace Jerome Powell once his stint as chairman of the Federal Reserve ends in May of 2026. There has been much speculation that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent—who’s been a real asset to the administration as a top spokesperson on tariffs and the U.S. economy—is the top contender to replace Powell. Not so fast, said the president. It seems Bessent doesn’t actually want the gig.
READ MORE: Watch: CNBC Tries to Fact-Check Trump on Live TV, and Host Ends Up With Egg on His Face
Here’s what President Trump told Squawk Box:
“Well, I love Scott, but he wants to stay where he is,” Trump said during a “Squawk Box” interview. “I asked him just last night, ‘Is this something you want?’ [Bessent said], ’Nope, I want to stay where I am. He actually said, ‘I want to work with you.’ It’s such an honor. I said, ‘That’s very nice. I appreciate that.’”
While Bessent has yet to address the topic publicly, it’s a good bet the president wouldn’t make such a statement if the matter was still open for discussion. Bessent does seem content leading the Treasury, and, well, he’s a billionaire financier, so he doesnt need the role at the Fed to secure his future.
That leaves the question of who will get the top job at the Fed, if not Bessent?
RELATED: Watch: Trump Grills Jerome Powell During Tour of Fed HQ Renovation—and Things Get Awkward Real Fast
‘Art of the Troll’ Trump Once Again Calls for Fed Chair Jerome Powell to Step Down
There appear to be four candidates at the moment, including Kevin Hassett, current Director of the National Economic Council of the United States. Another Kevin, former Fed Governor Kevin Warshe, is also in the running. Trump didn’t indicate if he had a favorite, saying, “Both Kevins are very good, and there are other people that are very good, too.” Current Fed Governor Christopher Waller is also thought to be in the running, along with a fourth, unnamed candidate.
Trump is also faced with an immediate opening at the Fed, after Governor Adriana Kugler tendered her resignation on Friday. Her replacement, according to the president, will only hold that position for four months. “I’m going to be announcing that very shortly,” Trump said. “It’ll be for the four months, you know, for the short period of time.”
The prediction market has weighed in on the likely next Fed chair, with each Kevin being given a 35 percent chance of landing the job.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and bold policies, America’s economy is back on track.
Help us continue to report on the president’s economic successes and combat the lies of the Democrats. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
