Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has proven to be one of the Trump Cabinet members you can always count on to stand strong for the administration's agenda when dealing with Democratic members of Congress.
He did it again when he testified before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43), who is the ranking member, tried to engage him on whether tariffs caused inflation. That did not go well for her, as our sister site Townhall explained. Bessent educated her on the fact that the NY Times wasn't the last word on inflation.
🚨 JUST IN: Sec. Scott Bessent is EMBARRASSING low-IQ Rep. Maxine Waters right now, this is priceless 😂
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 4, 2026
WATERS: Did you say Trump's tariffs are INFLATIONARY?!
BESSENT: "Uhh...no. 🤨"
WATERS: OK, we have a New York Times article-
BESSENT: "-*New York Times?* 😂"
WATERS: Are… pic.twitter.com/ZpPyxxET7o
Bessent disputed her on that, citing the San Francisco Federal Reserve's opinion on the matter backed up with "150 years of data."
The reality is that Joe Biden drove inflation up over nine percent. In his last year in office, inflation averaged 2.9 percent. In Trump's first year, 2025, it averaged 2.7 percent. So it's far better than under Biden, plus the government is getting money coming in from the tariffs
“Will you be the voice of reason in the administration and urge Trump to stop waging a war on American consumers?” Waters asked. “Yes or no?”
“You seem confused as to the definition of inflation,” Bessent began before Waters interrupted, and repeated her question.
It must have been too much for her, because then Waters truly lost it. She just kept talking over him and wouldn't let him answer her question. But again, he ultimately had the last word there, too. She tossed a fit and said to the chair of the Committee, Republican Rep. French Hill (AR-2), "Can you shut him up?"
Maxine Waters goes on unhinged rant, repeatedly talking over Scott Bessent — then gets finished by one of Bessent’s trademark rhetorical daggers.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 4, 2026
Waters: “Can you shut him up?"
Bessent: “Can you maintain some level of dignity?"
Oof. pic.twitter.com/z3IXTBpfWX
"Can you maintain some level of dignity?" Bessent said, finishing her off.
If setting off Waters wasn't enough, the secretary also sent Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY-5) into a fury. I think it's fair to say that Meeks lost it big time here when Bessent's answers didn't fit whatever he, Meeks, wanted. Then he started shouting that Bessent should stop being President Donald Trump's "flunky," while French Hill tried to get some control of the hearing.
Now Rep. Meeks has completely lost it in a deranged meltdown.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 4, 2026
“Don’t be a flunky!!!"
House Democrats really covering themselves in glory here. pic.twitter.com/1z4QAVFVLE
Through it all, Bessent just smiles and is so calm. He also sneaks in a little shot at the end, about whether Meeks is going to see his friend, Nicolás Maduro, who is being held in federal custody in New York City. I don't think Meeks even heard that; he was too busy yelling.
Not a good look for either Democrat when they can't even keep it together because they don't like how he's answering their questions.
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