Bessent: Tariff negotiations result of 'massive inflow' of calls, not markets

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that President Trump’s apparent willingness to engage in tariff negotiations is a result of a “massive inflow” of calls from countries, not the downturn in global markets.

In an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” co-host Joe Kernen asked Bessent about reporting that the secretary went to Florida this weekend to stress to Trump that the markets “needed to hear that negotiations about these tariffs were in play.”

“Lo and behold, we did see a bounce,” Kernen said.