Kevin Allen Hassett is a prominent American economist and politician who has made significant contributions to economic policy in the United States. Since 2025, he has served as the Director of the National Economic Council, a role in which he influences national economic strategies and policies. Prior to this, he was the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers from September 2017 to June 2019, where he provided critical economic advice to President Trump and played a key role in shaping the administration’s economic agenda.
Hassett’s academic background is robust, having earned a B.A. in economics from Swarthmore College and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. His early career included positions as an assistant and associate professor at Columbia Business School, and as an economist at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. His expertise in economic research laid the groundwork for his later roles in policy consulting for the U.S. Treasury during both the George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations.
In addition to his academic and governmental roles, Hassett has been a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute since 1997, where he focused on tax policy, fiscal policy, and energy issues. He has authored numerous articles and columns for major publications, including The New York Times and Bloomberg, and co-authored the influential book “Dow 36,000,” which predicted a significant rise in stock market values.
Throughout his career, Hassett has been a trusted economic advisor for several presidential campaigns, including those of John McCain and Mitt Romney. His insights and analyses have shaped economic discussions at the highest levels of government, and he continues to be a key figure in U.S. economic policy under the current administration.