Yellen says it should be ‘unthinkable’ for the U.S. to default on its debt

Yellen says it should be ‘unthinkable’ for the U.S. to default on its debt


Janet Yellen, US Treasury secretary, during a information conference at the Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central bank governors conference in Niigata, Japan, on Thursday, May 11, 2023.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated the thought of U.S. lawmakers allowing the country default on its debt must be “unthinkable.”

Speaking to reporters in advance of the G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors conferences in Niigata, Japan, Yellen explained she was conscious of former President Donald Trump’s recommendation for Republican lawmakers to allow the country default.

“The notion of defaulting on our personal debt is a little something that would so badly undermine the U.S. and international economic system that I think it should be regarded by absolutely everyone as unthinkable,” she told reporters. “The us should never default.”

When asked about measures the Biden administration could just take in the wake of a default, Yellen emphasized that lawmakers ought to elevate the credit card debt ceiling.

“There is no good option that will conserve us from catastrophe. I will not want to get into ranking which poor different is improved than other people, but the only reasonable issue is to raise the debt ceiling and to keep away from the dreadful effects that will occur,” she told reporters, noting that defaulting on personal debt can be prevented.

“There is no excellent reason to create a very good disaster of our very own producing. The U.S. Congress has lifted or suspended the personal debt limit almost 80 periods because 1960. I urge it to act rapidly to do so as soon as again,” she claimed.

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Yellen’s remarks appear soon after she warned of an “financial catastrophe” if the U.S. fails to elevate its financial debt ceiling in the coming weeks. She has also beforehand warned that the U.S. could fail to meet up with its debt obligations faster than envisioned – and it might run out of actions as early as June 1.

Media reports previous week cited a Treasury formal who mentioned her excursion to Japan will be slash small to make absolutely sure she can keep on having element in initiatives to handle the financial debt ceiling concern.

She advised journalists on Thursday, “A different conference is scheduled for upcoming Friday and personnel ar performing to see if they can resolve this, so I am extremely hopeful the differences can be bridged and the financial debt ceiling will be lifted.”



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