Trump to release CNBC interview excerpts on Fed policy, tariffs, and trade at 6 PM ET

President Donald Trump is set to release excerpts from a pre-recorded interview on CNBC at 6 PM ET on August 20, covering four subjects that tend to move markets whenever he touches them: Federal Reserve policy, tariffs, trade relations, and geopolitical risks.

What to watch for

Tariffs are a key focus. The administration has been layering new trade measures throughout 2026, and Trump has previously indicated that the next round of tariffs would be more complex than earlier iterations. He has framed those moves against a backdrop of Supreme Court rulings on executive trade authority, suggesting the White House believes it has room to maneuver.

A single earlier announcement in this cycle was linked to a reported $6 trillion market sell-off, a figure that underlines how sensitive asset prices have become to the administration’s trade posture. A $6 trillion swing is roughly the combined annual economic output of Japan and Germany, which gives you a sense of the leverage these announcements carry.

Pattern of CNBC engagement

This interview is not a one-off. Trump sat down with CNBC on April 21 and again on July 2 of 2026, both times covering economic legislation, tariffs, and trade. Releasing excerpts rather than a full live interview also gives the White House a degree of message control, choosing which soundbites reach the market first.

The timing of this particular segment follows White House meetings with technology sector leaders on August 19, one day prior.

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