The current Federal Reserve interest rate is significantly higher than necessary and should be lowered, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday.

I think we could go into a series of rate cuts here, starting with a 50 basis-point rate cut in September,” Bessent said in a television interview on Wednesday. Fed policymakers last month kept their benchmark at a target range of 4.

The likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September is now seen near 100% after new data showed U.S. inflation increased at a moderate pace in July and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he thought an aggressive half-point cut was possible given recent weak employment numbers.