Kevin Hassett is an American economist currently serving as the Director of the National Economic Council (NEC) under President Donald Trump. Born on March 20, 1962, in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Hassett has held several prominent positions throughout his career. He was the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2017 to 2019 and has worked as a senior economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Additionally, he served as a visiting professor at New York University’s Law School.
Before his current role, Hassett was the Brent R. Nicklas Distinguished Fellow in Economics at the Hoover Institution from 2019 to January 2025.
In early 2025, he was appointed Director of the National Economic Council.
Hassett has also been involved in various presidential campaigns, serving as an economic adviser to John McCain’s 2000 presidential bid, as well as to the campaigns of George W. Bush in 2004, McCain in 2008, and Mitt Romney in 2012.
In recent developments, Hassett expressed optimism about resolving the dispute with Canada over fentanyl trafficking by the end of March 2025, suggesting that previously planned tariffs might be delayed.