Trump’s former Fed pick Judy Shelton joins Treasury as China‑focused adviser

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Friday that he has hired former President Donald Trump’s Fed nominee Judy Shelton as a senior adviser on currency policy, with a special focus on China. Shelton will help the Treasury evaluate financial conditions in China, the department said. She previously led the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the National Endowment for Democracy. She also served as a fellow at the Independent Institute and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. During Trump’s first term, the president nominated Shelton to a vacant Federal Reserve seat, but bipartisan concerns over her perceived partisanship stalled the appointment, fearing it could threaten the Fed’s independence. The Treasury’s statement read, “Ms. Shelton will advise the Secretary on currency policy, with a particular focus on evaluating financial conditions in China.” The hiring comes as the United States tightens its economic watch on Beijing. ## Context The move links a political ally of Trump with the Treasury’s China strategy, reflecting Washington’s broader effort to coordinate monetary and diplomatic tools in response to Beijing’s growing economic influence.