CABINET/TREASURY/TRUMP PEOPLE/STEVEN MNUCHIN: “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, said the strong U.S. dollar is a reflection of confidence in the U.S. economy and its performance compared with the rest of the world and was a ‘good thing’ in the long run.
The comments, made in his first interview since being sworn in as Treasury Secretary last week, echoed remarks Mr. Mnuchin made in a confirmation hearing last month. They are notable because some White House officials, including President Donald Trump himself, have suggested in the past that they favored a weaker currency to support the U.S. trade position.
“I think the strength of the dollar has a lot to do with kind of where our economy is relative to the rest of the world, and that the dollar continues to be the leading currency in the world, the leading reserve currency, and a reflection of the confidence that kind of people have in the U.S. economy,” Mr. Mnuchin said.
The dollar has appreciated by 23% over the past three years and added to those gains since Mr. Trump’s November election.”
–Rebecca Ballhaus, “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Praises Stronger Dollar,” The Wall Street Journal online, Feb. 22, 2017