Hassett denies a report that he will leave the White House as Bessent and Zervos are named as possible successors

National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett is expected to leave his role at the White House in the coming weeks, according to a report on Friday^3,5.

Hassett denied the report the same day⁷. He called it “not true”², and said he will remain as President Trump’s economic adviser¹.

The White House also denied that Hassett was departing the administration⁴.

The reported departure and the denials came within hours of each other on Friday^3,4,7. Hassett’s response was direct, rejecting the report outright rather than declining to comment^1,2.

The report and its details

The report said Hassett has been inquiring about roles outside the administration since before the 3 November midterm elections⁶. Hassett has served as Trump’s top economic adviser since the start of the president’s second term⁵.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who could hold both roles, and his counsellor, David Zervos, are among the people being eyed to replace Hassett, according to the report⁴.

The denial leaves two conflicting accounts: an unnamed-source report of a planned departure and an on-record denial from Hassett and the White House^3,4. None of the coverage available says when, or whether, the report’s sources expect an announcement^3,6.

The idea that Bessent could hold both posts is a claim in the report, not a statement from the White House or the Treasury⁴. Neither Bessent nor Zervos is quoted in the coverage available on the possibility^4,6.

Why it matters to investors

As NEC director, Hassett is responsible for coordinating economic policy across the administration¹. A change in the post would alter who steers the White House’s economic agenda after the 3 November midterm elections^4,6.

The names floated as successors point to a possible concentration of economic policy roles. If Bessent were to take on the NEC role while remaining at the Treasury, as the report suggests he could, a single official would run both the main economic department and the White House body that coordinates policy⁴.

Zervos, the other name in the report, is Bessent’s counsellor at the Treasury⁴. Either successor would therefore come from the Treasury Secretary’s own team, which would tie White House economic coordination more closely to the Treasury⁴.

What to watch

Any White House personnel announcement in the coming weeks would show which account holds^3,4. Statements from Bessent or Zervos about the NEC role would also indicate whether the succession talk has substance⁴.

For now, Hassett’s on-record position is that he is staying^1,2.