Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s immigration measures are contributing to job growth for American workers. During his conversation with Fox News’ Jesse Watters, he highlighted the halt in unrestricted immigration, pointing to approximately 1.82 million deportations, both voluntary and mandatory, as evidence.
Bessent noted, “So prior to April, we saw real wage gains for working Americans every month during President Trump’s term. I think we’ll be back to that next month.” His comments emphasize the administration’s belief in resumed wage growth for American workers.
The conversation also touched upon the broader effects of these policies on employment and wages. “What’s more important is these are private sector jobs,” Bessent explained, implying that the policies are steering more job opportunities to citizens, thus strengthening the private sector.
While discussing the distinction between government and private sector jobs, Bessent remarked, “Government jobs can be— we have some great government servants— but real wage growth does not come from government jobs. It’s the private sector.” His comments stress the role of private companies in driving sustained wage growth.
Bessent praised efforts under Trump’s administration to reduce government size post-COVID-19 pandemic, calling it “right-sizing” after an expansion period. He conveyed the president’s stance on limiting government growth despite potential job creation through government expansion.
In supporting these changes, Bessent projected a forthcoming boost in productivity, akin to past gains in the 1990s. “And I think we’re in the middle— or on the cusp— of a big productivity boom just like we had in the ’90s,” he concluded.
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