The US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent levelled harsh criticism at the operations of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday, even as he tried to reassure nervous investors that the United States would maintain its global leadership role.
"America first does not mean America alone," he said in a speech to the Institute of International Finance, where he also promised support for the multilateral banks' core missions. "To the contrary, it is a call for deeper collaboration and mutual respect among trade partners."
