Treasury Secretary Bessent recently commented that media coverage of the economy has been frustrating the administration, particularly as polling numbers decline and living costs remain stubbornly elevated. The disconnect between official economic messaging and public perception continues to widen, with households still feeling the squeeze from persistent inflation. This tension between policy rhetoric and ground-level reality creates an interesting backdrop for asset markets. When government officials push back against economic narratives, it often signals underlying concerns about consumer confidence—a factor that ripples through risk assets including crypto. The gap between what data shows and what people experience in their wallets remains a key variable for anyone watching market sentiment.