CNBC says it aired 'unconfirmed' report on Trump tariff plans amid market turmoil

CNBC on Monday acknowledged that it aired a banner containing unconfirmed information about President Trump's economic plans amid widespread market uncertainty stemming from the tariffs he announced last week.

"As we were chasing the news of the market moves in real time, we aired unconfirmed information in a banner," a spokesperson for the network told The Hill on Monday afternoon. "Our reporters quickly made a correction on air.”

As markets opened on Monday, a major sell-off ensued on Wall Street amid intensifying concerns about the negative impact Trump's tariffs could have on consumer goods and the broader American economy.

Amid the market upheaval, a high-profile user on the social platform X named "Walter Bloomberg" published a message saying "TRUMP IS CONSIDERING A 90-DAY PAUSE IN TARIFFS FOR ALL COUNTRIES EXCEPT CHINA."

That post was apparently based on an interview given by White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett to Fox News.

CNBC mentioned the report Monday morning and attributed the possibility of a 90-day pause to Hassett.

The network's airing of the unverified information was first highlighted by Mediaite.

The White House quickly disputed the online fervor, calling it "fake news," after a number of mainstream outlets including Reuters and CNBC made reference to the report.

Reuters, which had based its reporting on CNBC's banner, issued a statement saying it was retracting a story on Hassett's comments.

Trump has urged Americans and investors to be patient with his economic agenda and promised the tariffs will help his administration invest in U.S. workers and companies.