Some of the biggest names in finance and politics made headlines this week. From a President’s bold claims to a Governor’s critique of the U.S. monetary policy, here are the top economic stories that emerged over the week.

Scott Bessent Slams Federal Reserve

Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, criticized the Federal Reserve for several ethical lapses and policy missteps. He estimated that these errors have led to annual losses of several billion dollars.

Bessent pointed to “mistimed asset purchases” as the primary reason for the $100 billion annual loss. These purchases, made during the pandemic, were followed by a sharp increase in interest rates, leading to significant operating losses.

"I think that was a big mistake," he said, while criticizing several other ethical oversights at the central bank over the past few years.

Read the full article here.

Trump Says $2,000 Tariff ‘Dividend’ Checks Can Be Issued Without Congressional Approval

President Donald Trump has suggested that the proposed $2,000 tariff "dividend" checks for Americans can be implemented without Congressional approval.

During his inauguration anniversary at the White House press conference, Trump stated that the $289 billion in tariff revenue collected last year would be allocated to issuing the checks and lowering the national debt, which stands at $38 trillion.

"Would probably set a limit of… income limit…where it made sense," stated Trump as he confidently added, “I believe we can do that without Congress.”

Read the full article here.

Elizabeth Warren Slams Scott Bessent

Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for downplaying the risks of waning global demand for U.S. Treasuries.

During the World Economic Forum at Davos, Bessent said that he was "not concerned at all" about investors selling American Treasuries. Warren, however, warned that weaker demand could translate into higher interest rates for consumers, including "on car loans and mortgages."

Read the full article here.

Ron DeSantis Blames Dollar Instability As Silver Hits Record Highs

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized U.S. monetary policy, attributing silver's historic surge past $103 per ounce to fundamental instability in the dollar.

"If the US actually had a stable currency, you wouldn't see silver setting new records," DeSantis wrote on X, responding to data from Barchart showing silver hit $103 for the first time in history.

Read the full article here.

Gold Has A New Buyer In Town

For decades, gold followed a familiar rhythm. Prices rose when fear spiked, fell when calm returned. When gold rallied too far, supply or selling pressure would bring it back down.

That framework is now breaking. According to a Goldman Sachs report, gold has entered a new phase. Private-sector buyers — not just central banks — are becoming a structural force in price formation.

Read the full article here.

Photo courtesy: RomanR from Shutterstock

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.