Steve Liesman
@steveliesman.bsky.social
CNBC senior economics reporter. Husband, father, journalist, guitarist and fly fisherman. (The Lies-man joke has been made. It’s not fresh. It’s my father’s father’s name, bastardized at Ellis Island. Move along.)
WSJ editorial on the latest of the hundreds of tariff walkbacks by trump (this one for furniture): “Rarely has a President worked so hard to cover the damage from his policies without admitting it.”
January 1, 2026 at 11:27 PM
WSJ editorial on the latest of the hundreds of tariff walkbacks by trump (this one for furniture): “Rarely has a President worked so hard to cover the damage from his policies without admitting it.”
Remarkable. US attorney general Pam Bondi tweets out a chart showing deaths from drug overdoses plummeting and giving the president credit. “Elections have consequences,” she says.
One problem. The data ends in Oct 2024. www.researchgate.net/publication/...
One problem. The data ends in Oct 2024. www.researchgate.net/publication/...
December 30, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Remarkable. US attorney general Pam Bondi tweets out a chart showing deaths from drug overdoses plummeting and giving the president credit. “Elections have consequences,” she says.
One problem. The data ends in Oct 2024. www.researchgate.net/publication/...
One problem. The data ends in Oct 2024. www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Trump threatens to sue the fed chair and I can’t find the story in the WSJ or the NYT.
The radical has now been completely normalized.
FTR, we reported it yesterday on Cnbc.
Pres. Trump: Considering bringing lawsuit against Fed Chair Powell for 'gross incompetence' www.cnbc.com/video/2025/1...
The radical has now been completely normalized.
FTR, we reported it yesterday on Cnbc.
Pres. Trump: Considering bringing lawsuit against Fed Chair Powell for 'gross incompetence' www.cnbc.com/video/2025/1...
Pres. Trump: Considering bringing lawsuit against Fed Chair Powell for 'gross incompetence'
CNBC's Eamon Javers joins 'Closing Bell Overtime' to talk breaking news out of the White House.
www.cnbc.com
December 30, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Trump threatens to sue the fed chair and I can’t find the story in the WSJ or the NYT.
The radical has now been completely normalized.
FTR, we reported it yesterday on Cnbc.
Pres. Trump: Considering bringing lawsuit against Fed Chair Powell for 'gross incompetence' www.cnbc.com/video/2025/1...
The radical has now been completely normalized.
FTR, we reported it yesterday on Cnbc.
Pres. Trump: Considering bringing lawsuit against Fed Chair Powell for 'gross incompetence' www.cnbc.com/video/2025/1...
Tariffs driving up the cost of Xmas, according to Erica York at the Tax Foundation: In the first 9 mos. of '24, Americans imported $362m of Christmas tree lights and paid $18m of customs duties. Over the period in '25, imports fell to $329m while customs duties rose to $45m --- a 146% increase.
December 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Tariffs driving up the cost of Xmas, according to Erica York at the Tax Foundation: In the first 9 mos. of '24, Americans imported $362m of Christmas tree lights and paid $18m of customs duties. Over the period in '25, imports fell to $329m while customs duties rose to $45m --- a 146% increase.
Some “light” holiday reading about the Fed’s communications
www.international-economy.com/TIE_Su25_Lie...
www.international-economy.com/TIE_Su25_Lie...
www.international-economy.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Some “light” holiday reading about the Fed’s communications
www.international-economy.com/TIE_Su25_Lie...
www.international-economy.com/TIE_Su25_Lie...
Received this in a remarkable fundraising email from Turning Point PAC exec director Tyler Bowyer:
“Ilhan Omar, possibly the WORST person in Congress, wasn't elected by Americans.
She was elected by Somalis living in Minnesota.”
“Ilhan Omar, possibly the WORST person in Congress, wasn't elected by Americans.
She was elected by Somalis living in Minnesota.”
December 16, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Received this in a remarkable fundraising email from Turning Point PAC exec director Tyler Bowyer:
“Ilhan Omar, possibly the WORST person in Congress, wasn't elected by Americans.
She was elected by Somalis living in Minnesota.”
“Ilhan Omar, possibly the WORST person in Congress, wasn't elected by Americans.
She was elected by Somalis living in Minnesota.”
Reposted by Steve Liesman
December 16, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Reposted by Steve Liesman
So when do we get our tariff rebate checks? Before or after the DOGE rebates?
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/t...
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/t...
New Trump tariffs collection hits $200 billion, Customs says
President Donald Trump this year unilaterally imposed, without congressional authorization, what he calls reciprocal tariffs and fentanyl tariffs on imports.
www.cnbc.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
So when do we get our tariff rebate checks? Before or after the DOGE rebates?
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/t...
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/t...
Hassett's Fed chair candidacy received pushback from people close to Trump www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/h...
Hassett's Fed chair candidacy received pushback from high-level people close to Trump, sources say
There's concern that the National Economic Council director is too close to the president.
www.cnbc.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Hassett's Fed chair candidacy received pushback from people close to Trump www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/h...
CNBC Survey: Inflation sapping some Xmas shopping cheer www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/i...
High cost of goods is causing consumers to spend less for the holidays, CNBC survey finds
The latest CNBC All-America Economic Survey found the "high cost of goods" has emerged as a major factor affecting how much shoppers spend and where they spend.
www.cnbc.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:24 PM
CNBC Survey: Inflation sapping some Xmas shopping cheer www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/i...
Bessent to propose major overhaul of regulatory body created from financial crisis www.cnbc.com/2025/12/11/b...
Bessent to propose major overhaul of regulatory body created from financial crisis
In a letter set to be released Thursday, Bessent will recommend changing the approach of the Financial Stability Oversight Council.
www.cnbc.com
December 11, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Bessent to propose major overhaul of regulatory body created from financial crisis www.cnbc.com/2025/12/11/b...
This is wrong imo.
December 10, 2025 at 9:33 PM
This is wrong imo.
CNBC Fed Survey: Hassett the favorite but not favored.
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/h...
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/h...
Hassett likely next Fed chair, but most think Trump should nominate someone else, CNBC Fed survey shows
The December survey shows 84% believe President Trump will tap Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, to head the central bank.
www.cnbc.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:20 PM
CNBC Fed Survey: Hassett the favorite but not favored.
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/h...
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/09/h...
CNBC confirms story, first reported by the FT, that President Trump and Treas secty Bessent will hold interviews with prospective fed chair candidates beginning tomorrow with former Fed Gov Kevin Warsh.
December 9, 2025 at 10:53 PM
CNBC confirms story, first reported by the FT, that President Trump and Treas secty Bessent will hold interviews with prospective fed chair candidates beginning tomorrow with former Fed Gov Kevin Warsh.
Not only is the fed going to meet this week and decide on rates in the absence of 2 months of data (that it will get next week), it’s also publishing a new round of forecasts. Many models use prior data as a significant input so that will be missing. It’s another reason imo to delay the meeting.
December 8, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Not only is the fed going to meet this week and decide on rates in the absence of 2 months of data (that it will get next week), it’s also publishing a new round of forecasts. Many models use prior data as a significant input so that will be missing. It’s another reason imo to delay the meeting.
The refusal of a grand jury to indict Letitia James on mortgage fraud creates a fascinating set up for a similar allegation again Fed Gov Lisa Cook. Imagine if SCOTUS, which will hear the case jan 21, says Trump had the right to fire cook but a grand jury wouldn’t even indict on the crime?
December 4, 2025 at 11:53 PM
The refusal of a grand jury to indict Letitia James on mortgage fraud creates a fascinating set up for a similar allegation again Fed Gov Lisa Cook. Imagine if SCOTUS, which will hear the case jan 21, says Trump had the right to fire cook but a grand jury wouldn’t even indict on the crime?
The enormously complex trump tariff regime represents an enormous level of hypocrisy. The admin promised deregulation but created a tariff regime that costs businesses massive amounts of time and money to comply with. Below is a graphic from Scott Lincicome of Cato showing its complexity
December 4, 2025 at 12:41 AM
The enormously complex trump tariff regime represents an enormous level of hypocrisy. The admin promised deregulation but created a tariff regime that costs businesses massive amounts of time and money to comply with. Below is a graphic from Scott Lincicome of Cato showing its complexity
I’ve been reporting about the potential connection of tariffs to small biz job losses. Scott Lincicome of Cato offers this piece discussing not just the high level of the tariffs, but the “truly insane complexity” whose “overall economic cost is likely staggering. “
thedispatch.com/newsletter/c...
thedispatch.com/newsletter/c...
Welcome to Tariff Complexity Hell
Complexity is a tax, and today U.S. companies are paying through the nose.
thedispatch.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I’ve been reporting about the potential connection of tariffs to small biz job losses. Scott Lincicome of Cato offers this piece discussing not just the high level of the tariffs, but the “truly insane complexity” whose “overall economic cost is likely staggering. “
thedispatch.com/newsletter/c...
thedispatch.com/newsletter/c...
You want to be careful in economics (as in life) with correlation and causation. So one should be skeptical of this chart showing that ADP small business hiring went negative after the tariffs were imposed. But it's worth thinking about and not dismissing as Commerce Secty Lutnick did on CNBC.
December 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM
You want to be careful in economics (as in life) with correlation and causation. So one should be skeptical of this chart showing that ADP small business hiring went negative after the tariffs were imposed. But it's worth thinking about and not dismissing as Commerce Secty Lutnick did on CNBC.
So the war on drugs is to kill the fishermen and release the kingpins. Makes perfect sense. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Trump Announces Pardon for Honduran Ex-President Convicted in Drug Case
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:13 PM
So the war on drugs is to kill the fishermen and release the kingpins. Makes perfect sense. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
The US may be much more exposed to tariff impacts than implied by the relatively small percent of trade to GDP. That's the conclusion of several papers and speeches at the Boston Fed's economic conference today. The result may be a more persistent stagflationary impact on jobs and growth....
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The US may be much more exposed to tariff impacts than implied by the relatively small percent of trade to GDP. That's the conclusion of several papers and speeches at the Boston Fed's economic conference today. The result may be a more persistent stagflationary impact on jobs and growth....