Williams Challenges Bessent on Stalled Real Wages and K-Shaped Recovery in Hearing
In a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Nikema Williams questioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the Trump administration's economic agenda of trade, tax cuts, and deregulation. She pressed him on BLS data showing a 0.3% decline in real hourly earnings over the past year, nominal wage growth slowing to 3.1% (lowest in over five years), and persistent gaps in the Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker between top (3.9%) and bottom (3.6%) earners that had not closed in any month of 2026. Williams argued this disproved Bessent's August CNBC claim that the K-shaped economy was over. Bessent disputed the real-wage number, referenced stronger median and bottom-quartile figures from the same agencies (including 4.7% for the bottom 25%), and defended overall economic performance. The exchange was interrupted by time reclamation and yielded no policy discussion.
Source: Congresswoman Nikema Williams