Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US has kept its sanctions on Russia in place

Описание: (6 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York - 6 March 2025
1. Wide of Economic Club of New York meeting
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary:
“Access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American Dream. The American Dream is rooted in the concept that any citizen can achieve prosperity, upward mobility, and economic security.  For too long, the designers of multilateral trade deals have lost sight of this. International economic relations that do not work for the American people must be reexamined. This is what tariffs are designed to address – leveling the playing field such that the international trading system begins to reward ingenuity, security, rule of law, and stability – not wage suppression, currency manipulation, intellectual property theft, non-tariff barriers, and draconian regulations. To the extent that another country’s practices harm our own economy and people, the United States will respond. This is the America First trade policy.”
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary:
“A major factor that has enabled the Russian war machine’s continued financing was the Biden Administration’s egregiously weak sanctions on Russian energy, stemming from worries about upward pressure on US energy prices during an election season.  In a craven political move, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan raised the Russian sanctions on the way out the door in January.  What was the point of substantial US military and financial support over the past three years without commensurate and fulsome sanctions support? This administration has kept the enhanced sanctions in place and will not hesitate to go “all in” should it provide leverage in peace negotiations.  Per President Trump’s guidance, sanctions will be used explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact.  They will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are achieving specific objectives.”
++BLACK FRAMES++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary:
 “Last month, the White House announced its “Maximum Pressure” campaign on Iran, designed to collapse its already buckling economy.  The Iranian economy is in disarray:  35 percent “official” inflation, a currency that has depreciated 60 percent in the last 12 months, and an ongoing energy crisis.  I know a few things about currency devaluations. If I were an Iranian, I would get all my money out of the rial now.” 
++BLACK FRAMES++
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary
“We will close off Iran’s access to the international financial system by targeting regional parties that facilitate the transfer of its revenues.  Treasury is prepared to engage in frank discussions with those countries.  We are going to shutdown Iran’s oil sector and drone manufacturing capabilities.”
 ++BLACK FRAMES++
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary
“As President Trump has said many times, tariff is his favorite word. I would say that reciprocal is probably his second favorite movie, and I think we have to be open to the idea. If you want to be a numbskull like Justin Trudeau and say, ‘oh, we're going to do this,’ then tariffs are going to go up. But if you want to sit back, have a discussion with the Commerce Department, USTR, they all have my phone number too. I am happy to have a discussion with our foreign counterparts that says that here's what we think you are doing.”
7. Bessent shaking hands with Larry Kudlow

STORYLINE:
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US has kept its sanctions on Russia in place








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