Trump sanctions chief poised to leave after Bessent tension
Source: msn/Bloomberg
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(Bloomberg) -- John Hurley, the Trump administration’s top sanctions official, is set to leave his post after friction with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to people familiar with the matter. Hurley’s expected departure as Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence follows months of internal tension over the tactics and targets of US sanctions policy, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss private deliberations.
His future remains unclear, with officials floating Hurley for several ambassadorial roles, in an effort to keep a loyal and valued ally within the fold, the people said. A senior administration official said that Hurley is in talks with the White House for an ambassadorship and that Hurley and Bessent continue to have a great working relationship at Treasury.
His exit would mark the latest shakeup in senior ranks at the Treasury Department. Bessent’s first chief of staff, Dan Katz, left in the fall and his successor, Michael Friedman, left as well, according to some of the people. Bessent’s top deputy stepped down in August, while the key post of undersecretary of international affairs remains unfilled. Overall, the level of turnover has raised questions among current and former officials about stability inside one of the government’s most market-sensitive agencies.
The changes come as US sanctions toward resource-rich nations including Venezuela, Iran and Russia play an increasingly pivotal role for international investors, global energy flows and geopolitical risk. In recent weeks, Treasury has been at the center of the Trump administration’s push to roll back many restrictions on the Venezuelan oil industry in a bid to boost production and open the nation up to foreign capital.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/international-relations/trump-sanctions-chief-poised-to-leave-after-bessent-tension/ar-AA1Wpr2e