Judy Shelton, Trump’s Former Fed Pick, Joins Treasury as Scott Bessent’s Adviser
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has appointed Judy Shelton as an adviser to focus on currency policy and financial conditions in China. Shelton, a former Federal Reserve nominee, brings experience from the Hoover Institution and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Why it matters
This appointment signals the Trump administration's strategic focus on China's financial influence and potential shifts in U.S. currency policy.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has hired Judy Shelton, President Donald Trump’s former pick for the Federal Reserve Board, as an adviser with a particular focus on China, the Treasury Department said on Friday (October 9, 2026).
Ms. Shelton previously led the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the National Endowment for Democracy, according to the Treasury. She has also worked as a fellow at the Independent Institute and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Donald Trump had tapped Ms. Shelton for a vacant Fed seat during his first term in the White House, but her nomination hit roadblocks over bipartisan concerns that her perceived partisanship could imperil the Fed’s independence.
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