Economy

On Capitol Hill, Treasury Secretary Bessent’s testimony descends into insults and shouting matches

February 5, 2026

On Capitol Hill, Treasury Secretary Bessent’s testimony descends into insults and shouting matchesA hearing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent turned chaotic Wednesday as Democratic lawmakers clashed with him over fiscal policy and Trump family conflictsByFATIMA HUSSEIN Associated PressFebruary 4, 2026, 8:53 PMWASHINGTON -- A hearing about oversight of the U. S. financial system devolved into insults several times Wednesday as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clashed with Democratic lawmakers over fiscal policy, the business dealings of the Trump family and other issues. Appearances by treasury secretaries on Capitol Hill are more typically known for staid exchanges over economic policy than for political theater, but Wednesday's hearing of the House Financial Services Committee hearing featured several fiery exchanges between the Republican Cabinet member and Democrats, with Bessent even lobbing insults back to the lawmakers. Bessent called Rep. Sylvia Garcia “confused” when she questioned how undocumented immigrants could affect housing affordability across the country, prompting the Texas Democrat to snap back, “Don’t be demeaning to me, alright?"Bessent later mocked a question from Rep.

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Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., about shuttered investigations into cryptocurrency firms.
Lynch expressed frustration with Bessent's interruptions, saying, "Mister Chairman, the answers have to be responsive if we are going to have a serious hearing.” Bessent replied, “Well, the questions have to be serious.”After a back-and-forth over whether tariffs cause inflation or one-time price increases for consumers, California Democratic Rep.
Maxine Waters asked committee leaders to intervene with Bessent: “Can someone shut him up?”And in a fiery exchange with Rep.
Gregory Meeks over the Abu Dhabi royal family’s investment into the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial cryptocurrency firm last year, the New York Democrat dropped an F-bomb as he shouted at Bessent: “Stop covering for the president!
Stop being a flunky!”The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the fireworks. Bessent’s performance was “not a role you typically see a treasury secretary play," said Graham Steele, a former assistant secretary for financial institutions under Biden-era Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

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On Capitol Hill, Treasury Secretary Bessent’s testimony descends into insults and shouting matches

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On Capitol Hill, Treasury Secretary Bessent’s testimony descends into insults and shouting matches

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