Maxine Waters' Cranky Response to Scott Bessent's Light-Hearted Anecdote Shows What a Shrew She Is

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is back on Capitol Hill Wednesday for more testimony before the House. Today, it's the Financial Services Committee, which includes Maxine Waters (D-CA).

The stated purpose of Wednesday's hearing is "The Annual Testimony of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the International Financial System," which sounds rather formal and serious in nature. It doesn't seem that it would lend itself to the all-too-frequent displays of nastiness by congressional Democrats at anyone associated with the Trump administration, but that didn't stop Waters from turning the opportunity for a cordial exchange with Bessent into one that was decidedly mean-spirited on her part, in addition to being rather obtuse.

Waters begins her questioning of Bessent by asserting that they've never met before. But then he kindly reminds her of a New Year's Eve encounter in the Bahamas, one in which Waters apparently showed off her "Electric Slide" moves.

Watch:

.@RepMaxineWaters: "This is the first time we've met, is that correct?"@SecScottBessent: "No, ma'am. We actually met one New Year's Eve in the Bahamas."

Rep. Waters: "Why don't I remember that?"

Sec. Bessent: "You were much better at the electric slide than I was." pic.twitter.com/vwq2CpI3eC
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 7, 2025

WATERS: Secretary Bessent, this is the first time we've met, is that correct?
BESSENT: No, ma'am. We actually met one New Year's Eve in the Bahamas. And I was—
WATERS: (Aside) He didn't make an impression. (To Bessent) Why don't I remember that?
BESSENT: Well, you were much better at the electric slide than I was. And I was with the Prime Minister of the Bahamas yesterday — Prime Minister Davis, who sends his regards.

Setting aside Waters' dig about Bessent not making an impression, Bessent is smiling and sharing what most would consider a humorous anecdote, as well as conveying a polite greeting from a mutual friend.

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Somehow, though, Waters seemingly takes it as an affront and decides to name/title drop — I guess to make herself seem more important?

WATERS: Well, were you with my husband when he was the Ambassador to the Bahamas appointed by Clinton?
BESSENT: (Nodding) So...
WATERS: Well, you're not going to like this. And so this is the first...uh, didn't remember that, uh, but that's odd because you've been at Treasury and I've sent you five letters to ask about what was going on under your leadership, and only received a couple of cursory replies from your staff. Why didn't you respond?
BESSENT: Ma'am?
WATERS: I guess you don't know why you didn't respond.

I recognize that the dynamic between congressional Democrats and the administration is adversarial. And Waters may even have a legitimate gripe about not receiving an appropriate response to her inquiries (though, knowing Waters, it's tempting to assume the inquiries themselves may have been specious).

When I first spied the clip on X and the summary of the exchange, I assumed it was going to be a light-hearted moment. Frankly, those are occasional welcome breathers from the typical rancor we so often see in these hearings. But then I watched it and came away with a decidedly different impression. Bessent was being cordial and affable, while Waters was hellbent on being prickly and adversarial.

And lest there be any doubt as to the tenor of the rest of their interaction, rest assured, Waters continued with her ill-informed, ill-tempered display, while Bessent politely set her straight.

Maxine Waters is a clown.

WATERS: "You let these strangers into our Treasury with access to all of the data..."

BESSENT: "No, ma'am. They were Treasury employees." 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/FDNVr87W1l
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 7, 2025