Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo confronted Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday about the Atlanta Federal Reserve predicting the economy would retract this quarter amid growing recession fears – leaving Lutnick flabbergasted.
“We’ve seen worries about growth. I know you said you’re not expecting a recession, but investors are on edge over the possibility of a recession this year, after the Atlanta Federal Reserve said that it’s predicting a 2 .4 % contraction in the first quarter. And, of course, President Trump would not –” Bartiromo said as Lutnick cut in:
A What? Wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait, wait. Say that again. A what? A what?!
“The Atlantic Federal Reserve –” Bartiromo added.
“A 2 .4 % contraction?!” Lutnick replied, stunned.
“Correct. Correct. First quarter,” replied Bartiromo, a close Trump ally whom the president recently appointed to the board of the Kennedy Center.
“Okay, right here, right here, right now. Right here, right now. That is ridiculous!” Lutnick replied.
“Okay? Have you spoken to the president of the Atlanta Federal Reserve?” Bartiromo asked.
“Absolutely not,” Lutnick replied.
“Have you told — have you told the Atlanta Fed that you say it’s ridiculous because they’re out with this contraction prediction for the and I know that you and President Trump were handed a mess. I’m not I’m not arguing that. But now we’re talking about recession and I asked President Trump about it this week and he didn’t say, ‘No,’” Bartiromo said before cutting to a clip of her earlier interview with Trump.
Watch the clip above via Fox Business’s Mornings with Maria.
