Treasury Secretary Bessent warns shutdown could slash quarterly economic growth by half

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.GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENS CRUCIAL ECONOMIC DATA, LEAVING FED — AND FAMILIES — IN THE DARK"We had a fantastic economy under President Trump the past two quarters and now there are estimates that the economy and economic growth for