U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent continued the Trump administration’s outreach efforts with a more conciliatory tone toward America’s trade partners.
“‘America First’ does not mean America alone. On the contrary, it calls for deeper cooperation and mutual respect among our trade partners,” Bessent said during remarks at an Institute of International Finance event in Washington, D.C.
He emphasized that rather than pulling back, the “‘America First’ approach aims to strengthen U.S. leadership within international institutions like the IMF and World Bank.” Bessent added, “By stepping into a more active leadership role, ‘America First’ seeks to restore balance and fairness in the global economic system.”
His comments followed reports on Tuesday that he had told a private investor gathering there would be a “de-escalation” in the Trump administration’s trade standoff with China.
Speaking Wednesday, Bessent reinforced that message, offering a softer framing: “‘America First’ does not mean isolation—it’s about leading with strength and fairness.”