Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is fresh off a meeting with China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, just a few days before the meeting between President Trump and President Xi this week. Sec. Bessent shares takeaways from his own meeting, including his perspective on AI competition between the U.S. and China and the regulatory responsibility of AI developers. Plus, Sec. Bessent discusses the Federal Reserve’s latest rate hike and President Trump’s decision to revoke credentials from CNN, MS Now, and Politico journalists in the White House press pool. CNBC’s Eamon Javers reports on the joint lawsuit CNN, MS Now, and Politico filed against the Trump administration in response. In a discussion about AI safety and ethics, Stuart Russell, University of California at Berkeley professor and president of the International Association for Safe and Ethical AI, considers the likelihood of maintaining control of AI as it grows more capable. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has dismissed many AI concerns as “doomsday narratives.”

Eamon Javers - 03:56

Stuart Russell - 14:16

Sec. Scott Bessent - 30:35

In this episode:

Eamon Javers, @eamonjavers

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

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Treasury Sec. Bessent, AI Control, & the White House Press Pool 9/21/26

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