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Bennito L. Kelty
August 21, 2026
RAW STORY
President Donald Trump on Friday answered a reporter's question about calming the turbulent bond market by saying he'll use military force.
Trump was asked whether he had spoken with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about "another type of intervention" after bond yields climbed back to multi-year highs.
"The ultimate intervention is our military," Trump said. "And if we have to use that, we will."
The remark came as Trump seems to be escalating his military posture against Iran. Bessent told CNBC on Thursday that the U.S. likely would not need to restart large-scale combat with Iran, hours after Trump declared "economic D-day" on the country.
It also came shortly after Bessent announced that the Treasury would buy back far more of its own debt than planned. The step was meant to push interest rates down, according to reporting by CNBC. The Treasury acted after the rate on the government's 30-year bond hit its highest levels since 2007, Reuters reported.
Trump distanced himself from Bessent's move during his comments to reporters on Friday. Trump said he had not directed the intervention.
"No, not at all," Trump said. He added that Bessent is "a very capable man. He wanted to do it."
Bessent's fix barely lasted a day. Rates quickly climbed back to where they started after Trump escalated his standoff with Iran and drove oil prices higher, according to reporting by CNBC. The nation's total debt topped $40 trillion for the first time shortly after, which fueled investor anxiety over rising borrowing costs and deepening deficits, Reuters noted.
The Iran war is now in its sixth month. Trump has faced questions about how far he is willing to go. The Telegraph reported earlier this week that Trump was weighing a possible nuclear strike, a claim amplified by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said the administration had discussed the option in strategy meetings.
President Donald Trump on Friday answered a reporter's question about calming the turbulent bond market by saying he'll use military force.
Trump was asked whether he had spoken with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about "another type of intervention" after bond yields climbed back to multi-year highs.
"The ultimate intervention is our military," Trump said. "And if we have to use that, we will."
The remark came as Trump seems to be escalating his military posture against Iran. Bessent told CNBC on Thursday that the U.S. likely would not need to restart large-scale combat with Iran, hours after Trump declared "economic D-day" on the country.
It also came shortly after Bessent announced that the Treasury would buy back far more of its own debt than planned. The step was meant to push interest rates down, according to reporting by CNBC. The Treasury acted after the rate on the government's 30-year bond hit its highest levels since 2007, Reuters reported.
Trump distanced himself from Bessent's move during his comments to reporters on Friday. Trump said he had not directed the intervention.
"No, not at all," Trump said. He added that Bessent is "a very capable man. He wanted to do it."
Bessent's fix barely lasted a day. Rates quickly climbed back to where they started after Trump escalated his standoff with Iran and drove oil prices higher, according to reporting by CNBC. The nation's total debt topped $40 trillion for the first time shortly after, which fueled investor anxiety over rising borrowing costs and deepening deficits, Reuters noted.
The Iran war is now in its sixth month. Trump has faced questions about how far he is willing to go. The Telegraph reported earlier this week that Trump was weighing a possible nuclear strike, a claim amplified by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said the administration had discussed the option in strategy meetings.
'Addled' Trump viciously mocked after flub: 'Bond market also two weeks away from a nuke?'
Bennito L. Kelty
August 21, 2026
RAW STORY
President Donald Trump's threat to use military intervention to handle the troubled bond markets is baffling his online critics.
On Friday, a reporter asked Trump about increasing bond yields, which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has struggled to contain after a failed debt buyback intervention earlier this week.
"Have you talked to Bessent about another type of intervention?" a reporter asked Trump.
"The ultimate intervention is our military," Trump responded. "And if we have to use that, we will."
The response from Trump prompted mockery as he seemed to conflate military intervention with a bond market intervention.
"Addled Trump threatens to use the military on bond traders," reacted Ron Filipkowski, the editor-in-chief of the political news network MeidasTouch, in a post on X.
"Is the bond market also two weeks away from a nuclear weapon?" asked Acyn Torabi, the senior digital editor for MeidasTouch, referring to reports that Trump was weighing a possible nuclear strike against Iran.
"Operation Epic Interest Rates," suggested political blogger and Kash Patel foe Jim Stewartson.
"Is Trump going to bomb the bond market?" wondered PatriotTakes, which covers right-wing extremism.
"I preferred it when yield curve control didn't involve the military," economist Justin Wolfers lamented. "But perhaps mine is a radical position."
During his comments, which came ahead of a South Carolina rally for Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC), Trump also pinned the initial debt buyback to Bessent as bond yields climbed shortly after the buyback.
"Did you direct Secretary Bessent to intervene in the bond market?" a reporter asked Trump.
"No, not at all," he responded. "He's a very capable man. He wanted to do it. He's very good at it. He's got a good touch for bonds and interest rates. He did it."
The question came shortly before he was asked about considering another intervention, but Trump still pivoted to talking about military force.
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