Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy gushes over the treasury secretary in a Jan. 19 column:
It’s not every day that I find myself sitting down with the secretary of the treasury at his historic office in Washington.
This past Thursday, I visited with Secretary Scott Bessent, one of the most closely watched, talked-about, and popular members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
Secretary Bessent’s growing popularity is no accident.
The economic results under the new Trump administration have been nothing short of remarkable.
According to data discussed during our meeting, economic growth has accelerated sharply, with gross domestic product growth in the most recent quarter at 4.3%, a dramatic 79% increase of the growth rate over Joe Biden’s final full quarter as president.
This growth represents one of the fastest growth rates in years.
Ruddy then listed seven things Trump has purportedly done, including how “Oil Prices Could Continue to Fall”:
Bessent believes Trump is driving oil prices down — and they could fall into the mid-$40s per barrel range over the coming year.
Trump’s aggressive pro-energy agenda is working as are policies to expand U.S. drilling, a shift in Venezuela policy, and real Middle East energy diplomacy.
Lower energy prices, he noted, would strike directly at the inflation and affordability crisis created under Biden — reducing costs for transportation, food, manufacturing, and household utilities.
Of course, oil prices have skyrocketed since Trump launched his war against Iran. Ruddy concluded with more gushing:
Speaking with Secretary Bessent, I was reminded of President Trump’s longtime connection to Norman Vincent Peale, the famed author of “The Power of Positive Thinking.”
Peale, Trump’s longtime pastor, believed that optimism must be paired with action — not just belief, but execution.
That philosophy defines this administration.
Secretary Bessent embodies this Pealian view as well.
As the Bible reminds us: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
As Scott Bessent reminded me, Donald Trump isn’t just talking about results.
He’s delivering them.
Actually, Peale died in 1993, so it’s unlikely he remains an influence on Trump. let alone be his “longtime pastor.”