Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Sunday that the ongoing government shutdown is taking an escalating toll on the U.S. economy, saying growth could be cut "by as much as half" this quarter if the impasse drags on.

"We've seen an impact on the economy from day one, but it's getting worse and worse," Bessent said during an interview on ABC's "This Week" program.

"We had a fantastic economy under President Trump the past two quarters and now there are estimates that the economy and economic growth for this quarter could be cut by as much as half if the shutdown continues," Bessent added.

The shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, has forced hundreds of thousands of federal employees to go without pay and delayed key economic data releases , making it harder for policymakers and busin

See Full Page