In a striking television appearance, Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, proposed a radical solution for Americans struggling with the cost of living: pack your bags and move.
The State-by-State Inflation Divide
During a discussion on NBC's Meet the Press with moderator Kristen Welker, Bessent shared an optimistic outlook for inflation in 2026. For those seeking immediate relief, however, he offered a simple, albeit controversial, fix. 'You know the best way to bring your inflation rate down? Move from a blue state to a red state!' Bessent remarked. He asserted that 'blue-state inflation is half a percent higher' due to a lack of deregulation and higher energy costs.
This claim is supported by recent data. The current US inflation rate, according to the consumer price index, stood at 3.0 percent for the 12 months leading to September 2025. Contrasting this, the inflation rate in the heavily Democratic area of Los Angeles, California, was 3.3 percent from August 2024 to August 2025. Meanwhile, in the Republican-leaning Miami area of Florida, the rate was a lower 2.5 percent.
The regional pattern holds true on a broader scale. For the 12 months ending in August, the inflation rate in America's South was 2.5 percent, while the largely Democratic Northeast experienced a rate of 3.3 percent.
Sparring Over Tariffs and Trade Deals
The conversation with Welker also turned to the contentious topic of tariffs. The moderator challenged Bessent, noting that the administration had recently rolled back tariffs on more than 200 food products despite his previous claims that tariffs help consumers.
Bessent defended the administration's position, stating, 'If you look at the data, that imported goods, the inflation has actually been flat.' He argued that inflation is being driven by the service economy, which is unrelated to tariffs. The Treasury Secretary credited the work of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on new trade deals, particularly with Latin American and Central American countries, for the decrease in food prices.
A Visible and Outspoken Figure
Scott Bessent has become one of the most prominent faces of Trump's second-term administration, known for his direct manner and unique sense of humour. His visibility has occasionally extended beyond economic policy into more physical confrontations.
Earlier this year, he was grilled by Representative Jimmy Gomez during a budget hearing about a reported altercation with Elon Musk in the Oval Office. When asked if there was any animosity after Musk allegedly 'body checked' him, Bessent quipped about his own home state, saying he would 'take South Carolina over South Africa any day'—a pointed reference to Musk's nation of birth.
Speculation about the incident grew when Musk was later spotted with a black eye, which he initially attributed to roughhousing with his son. However, former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon revealed to the Daily Mail that a 'tense standoff' occurred after Bessent confronted Musk over unfulfilled promises to find 'a trillion dollars' in administrative cuts, which allegedly led to an irate Musk physically shoving the 62-year-old Treasury Secretary.
