Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he's 'sick of hearing about' the K-shaped economy and declares it finished. Here's what that means for Washington.
In brief
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the K-shaped economy is finished — and he's done discussing it. Bessent declared the bifurcated recovery model over, telling Fortune he is 'sick of hearing about' the concept that defined economic inequality debates during and after the pandemic era. The remarks place one of Washington's most powerful economic officials on record against a framework that critics of trickle-down policy have used for years to describe a two-track America.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has declared the K-shaped economy over.
Bessent said he is 'sick of hearing about' the K-shaped recovery framework.
The K-shaped economy concept describes a split recovery in which wealthier households recovered faster than lower-income Americans.
The remarks, reported by Fortune, represent a significant rhetorical shift from the nation's top financial policymaker.
What Is the K-Shaped Economy — and Why Does Bessent Want to Bury It?
The K-shaped economy became a defining term of the post-pandemic economic conversation. The framework describes a recovery in which the top arm of the "K" — higher-income earners, asset holders, and white-collar workers — rose sharply, while the bottom arm — lower-wage workers, renters, and those without investment portfolios — continued to fall or stagnate. The concept gained traction among economists, journalists, and policymakers as a way to explain why aggregate economic data could look strong while millions of Americans still felt left behind.
Bessent's decision to reject that framing outright is a notable move for a sitting Treasury Secretary. As the cabinet official responsible for the nation's fiscal policy and economic messaging, Bessent's words carry institutional weight well beyond a cable news soundbite. His declaration that the K-shaped economy is "over" suggests the administration intends to shift the public narrative around economic inequality — away from structural bifurcation and toward a message of broad-based recovery.
For those tracking economic policy from Pennsylvania Avenue to Capitol Hill, the statement is worth watching. Whether the underlying data supports Bessent's claim is a separate question from the political signal he is sending — and in Washington, the signal is often the point. For more on how economic rhetoric shapes policy on the Hill, see WDCM's DC Politics Guide.
Washington runs on economic framing. The language a Treasury Secretary chooses — or refuses — shapes everything from budget negotiations on the Hill to Federal Reserve communications to how think tanks at the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute structure their next round of policy briefs. Bessent's dismissal of the K-shaped economy is a signal to every economist, lobbyist, and Congressional staffer in this city: the administration does not want that framework driving the conversation heading into the next budget cycle.
DC's own economic landscape makes this particularly resonant. The capital region spans one of the starkest wealth gradients in the country — from the affluent corridors of Georgetown and Chevy Chase to the working-class neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River. The K-shaped debate has never been abstract here. Bessent's remarks land in a city where the two arms of that K are visible on a single Metro ride. Track DC's economic divide further in WDCM's DC Neighborhood Market Report and our DC Power Players Index.
The statement also arrives as Congress continues debating fiscal priorities and as the U.S. Department of the Treasury manages its broader economic messaging portfolio. How Bessent's framing holds up against incoming economic data — particularly employment figures and wage growth reports tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — will determine whether this declaration becomes a durable talking point or a liability.
What to Watch Next
The bottom line: Scott Bessent has drawn a rhetorical line in the sand, declaring the K-shaped economy a relic rather than a reality. Whether that assertion holds will be tested every time new wage, employment, and wealth data drops. Watch for how Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee respond — and whether Bessent's framing migrates into the White House's broader economic messaging. Follow ongoing coverage of DC's economic and political power dynamics at WDCM's Power Moves and Political Influence Rankings.
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Reporting drawn from: Fortune. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
