Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke Wednesday to international economists attending IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington D.C. this week, telling them the Trump administration wants to overhaul these institutions to create a more "sustainable international economic system.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday called on the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to refocus on their core missions of macroeconomic stability and development, arguing that they have strayed too far into vanity projects such as climate change that have reduced their effectiveness.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the institutions “serve critical roles in the international system. And the Trump administration is eager to work with them — so long as they can stay true to their missions.