Scott Bessent Gets Under Maxine Waters’ Skin, She Snaps “Shut Up” [WATCH]

Tempers flared Wednesday during a House Financial Services Committee hearing as Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) openly clashed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, at one point telling him to “shut up” during a heated exchange over inflation, tariffs, and immigration, as reported by The New York Post.

The confrontation unfolded as the committee questioned Bessent about the state of the U.S. economy and the Treasury Department’s role in monitoring financial risks.

Waters used her time to argue that President Donald Trump’s tariff policies were driving up consumer prices and that immigration enforcement was harming housing affordability.

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“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?”

Bessent attempted to respond, beginning with, “You seem confused as to the definition of inflation,” before Waters interrupted him and repeated the question. The exchange quickly escalated as both spoke over one another.

Bessent said the Biden administration “let in between 10 and 20 million immigrants” who “took up the housing stock of working Americans,” linking housing pressures to immigration policies rather than tariffs.

“Can you shut him up?” Waters interjected, turning to committee chairman French Hill (R-Ark.) and asking him to restore order.

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“Can you maintain some level of dignity?” Bessent replied.

Waters then complained that Bessent had “took up my time” with his answers.

Bessent also rejected claims that he had authored a letter asserting tariffs were inflationary. He cited federal data disputing that position.

“According to the San Francisco Federal Reserve, with 150 years of data, tariffs do not cause inflation,” Bessent told Waters.

The hearing centered on an annual report issued by the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which examines systemic financial risks.

Committee members discussed efforts to “identify and mitigate financial risks,” including those tied to the collapse of three major banks — First Republic Bank, Signature Bank, and Silicon Valley Bank — during the Biden administration in 2023.

The contentious tone continued later in the session when Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.) launched his own attack on Bessent, accusing him of shielding the Trump family from scrutiny.

“Stop covering for the president! Stop being his flunky!” Meeks shouted, pointing at the Treasury secretary.

Meeks alleged “improper influence” involving the Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, claiming it had received foreign investment from the United Arab Emirates.

He argued that such investments posed potential national security concerns while President Trump conducts foreign policy involving the same country.

“This is no longer just about a shady crypto deal or a possible gift when a foreign-linked investor is putting hundreds of millions of dollars into a company controlled by the president’s family and at the same time, this president is conducting foreign policy with that country,” Meeks said.

“It creates a national security concern.”

Meeks asked whether Bessent would commit to pausing and increasing scrutiny of any bank charter or license connected to World Liberty Financial until reviews were completed and shared with Congress.

Bessent responded that the oversight Meeks referenced was being handled by “an independent entity.”

He then pushed back by referencing Meeks’ own past conduct, citing the congressman’s 2006 trip to Venezuela, when Meeks traveled while serving in Congress and sought to “lobby Hugo Chavez” on behalf of donors.

The hearing ended with no resolution to the disputes, underscoring sharp partisan divisions over inflation, immigration, and financial oversight under the Trump administration.

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