indicator for recession as it once was >> john:i joining us now is the former cke restaurant ceo andy puzder for joining us we appreciate it you may have just heard this conversation that we have had with reforward to the health of the consumer if we do have a series right now where the yield curve is inverting, should we be as worried about it >> no, you shouldn't be. number one as your guest basically stated the underlying fundamentals of the economy are strong we have 2.1% gdp growth in second quarter the atlanta fed is projecting 2.2 in second quarter and we're nowhere near having a negative quarter let alone two consecutive negative quarters of gdp growth plus you have outside influences that resktieffecting the long-t yields and short-term yields long-term yields you have easing and the fed is holding long-term bonds and reduces supply and drives up demand which allows them to lower the interest rate. you also have $16 trillion of negative interest rates, sovereign rate debt out there and that may be closer to 17 i know yesterday germany sold almost a billion dollars worth of negative

. >> reporter: trump's pick for labor secretary, andy puzder, department of veteran affairs, dr. jackson, u.n. ambassador, heather nauert and federal reserve board members herman cain and stephen moore are among the high-profile picks whose names were pulled after negative information was revealed. the president also lashing out again at house oversight chairman elijah cummings who is leading investigations into his administration. the president mocking cummings' recent home burglary calling it in a tweet really bad news and adding, too bad. that post prompting immediate backlash. fellow republican and former u.n. ambassador nikki haley replying, this is so unnecessary. president trump standing by his tweet. >> that was really not meant as a wise guy tweet. his house robbed and it came over the news at a certain moment last night, and i had just mentioned it. >> reporter: president trump has been attacking cummings since last weekend when he called baltimore a rat and rodent infested place where no human being would want to live. now, many called those tweets racist, but cummings

of the market >> and after the bell we'll discuss president trump's handling when we talk with andy puzdert's still to come on "closing bell." how do you gauge the greatness of an suv? is it to carry cargo... or to carry on a legacy? its show of strength... or its sign of intelligence? in crossing harsh terrain... or breaking new ground? this is the time to get an exceptional offer on the mercedes of your midsummer dreams at the mercedes-benz summer event, going on now. lease the gla 250 suv for just $329 a month with credit toward your first month's payment at the mercedes-benz summer event. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. ♪ here i go again on my own ♪ goin' down the only road i've ever known ♪ ♪ like a drifter i was-- ♪ born to walk alone! ...barb! you left me hangin' on the high harmony there. if you ride, you get it. geico motorcycle. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more. you should be mad that this is your daily commute. you should be mad at people who forget they're in public. and you should be mad at simple things that are unnecessarily complicated. but you're not mad, because