Want to know what economic policy in Trump 2.0 could look like on TV? Tune in to CNBC on weekday mornings. Call it the Squawk Box sweepstakes. Trump allies who are competing for prominent economic roles in his new administration have taken to the morning show anchored by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin to showcase their media skills to an audience that includes the president-elect. Trump is a viewer — he recently heaped praise on Kernen over an exchange with erstwhile adviser Anthony Scaramucci — and he drew from CNBC’s talent pool during his first administration with his selection of Larry Kudlow for director of the National Economic Council. Big names who’ve been vying for Treasury and other key economic or regulatory positions have been cycling through the show over the last week as Trump’s transition team makes quick work of filling out the administration. The upside for job contenders to make the media rounds is obvious. Trump is a former reality television star. He loves TV. He once planned to build a housing development called “Television City.” As POLITICO reported last week, he has used his surrogates’ television appearances to gauge where they might fit in his administration. This has been his M.O. for years. (A gem from the late Ben White: “During the call [offering Kudlow the job], Trump said he was seeing Kudlow’s photo on television and told him: “You’re looking handsome, Larry.”) The question is why airtime on this particular program is valuable to Trump’s potential economic advisers. It’s not a hostile environment, per se, but it is a place where they won’t be able to rattle off their talking points and walk away. It’s not just a question of visibility – but viability. If they’re going to speak for Trump, they’ll have to defend his views and policies and how they could affect economies and markets. And these appearances are as likely to catch the eyes of DC policy wonks — or econ reporters — as they are the incoming president. “What's cool about Squawk is they come on, they come to play and they come ready to debate,” one show insider told MM. There’s speculation that a Treasury pick could be imminent — your host and Gavin Bade have more reporting on that in Tuesday afternoon’s West Wing Playbook — so it’s instructive to consider how the administration’s many aspirants are making their case to a Wall Street audience. — Scott Bessent , a hedge fund founder and former George Soros protege who’s now one of Trump’s closest advisers, explained that the post-election spike in 10-year yields — which has been widely viewed as anticipation for greater inflation during a second Trump term — was actually “a healthy move geared toward impetus.” Deregulation and lower energy prices are disinflationary, he said, adding that he would recommend tariff adjustments be “layered in gradually” to spread out any impact on prices. (He doubled down on that message during a follow-up appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room). — Former SEC Chair Jay Clayton — a regular on the program— used a recent appearance to bemoan how ethics rules can be “preclusive” for getting qualified markets professionals into positions at regulatory agencies. — Hedge fund billionaire John Paulson — who formally took himself out of the running for Treasury on Tuesday — explained why he thought any inflation from Trump’s tariff policies would be offset by greater energy production and any deficit reduction that would accompany Elon Musk’s cost-cutting regimen. — Makan Delrahim, a partner at Latham & Watkins and former assistant attorney general at the DOJ’s antitrust division under Trump, appeared earlier this week to explain how the president’s regulatory regime will smooth reviews of new mergers. (Semafor reported that same day that he’s been in the mix to lead the Federal Trade Commission). Who’d I miss? More importantly, who should they be booking as Trump rounds out his team? IT’S WEDNESDAY — Do you want a job in the Trump administration? Let’s talk about it in Morning Money. In the meantime, send suggestions and tips to ssutton@politico.com and @ssutton.
| 
