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Bessent Spars with Lawmakers over Tariffs, Trump Lawsuits
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent denied authoring a letter stating tariffs cause inflation during a contentious House hearing focused on Trump-era tariff impacts on prices and housing.
- On Feb. 4, 2026, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent faced the House Financial Services Committee and denied having called tariffs inflationary, despite reports to the contrary.
- Bessent had told hedge fund investors in 2024 that `Tariffs are inflationary and would strengthen the dollar`, which lawmakers cited along with a January 31, 2024 Key Square letter and reporting from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters.
- A chaotic exchange erupted as Ranking Member Maxine Waters repeatedly cut off Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, telling him `You don't get to talk`, prompting the committee chair to intervene after Waters protested.
- Bessent's shift signals a break from his earlier view that tariffs could fuel inflation, as the Treasury defended its tariff strategy to strengthen U.S. economic security and disputing sustained inflation.
- Economic research finds Trump-era tariffs modestly but clearly inflationary, many economists say they act as a tax on U.S. firms and consumers, and Waters warned they could mean `half a million fewer homes built`.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Watauga Democrat
Bessent spars with lawmakers over tariffs, Trump lawsuits
(The Center Square) - Lawmakers grilled Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the Trump administration’s tariff policies and high profile lawsuits in the administration.
Trump's sassy Treasury Secretary calls on low-IQ Maxine Waters to show a little dignity, and her meltdown is priceless
Watch Louder with Crowder every weekday at 11:00 AM Eastern, only on Rumble Premium!Rep Maxine Waters, 87 years old, has the secretary of the Treasury in front of her for 5 minutes to ask questions and instead she decided to read a pre-written speech with 2 yes/no questions and she sang “Reclaiming my time” twice then also asked Scott Bessent to shut up when he… pic.twitter.com/WokOyqE5CC— Benjamin (@RunningbearTx) February 4, 2026 Congressional…
Scott Bessent’s ‘gotcha’ moment on Trump’s tariffs and inflation: He denies writing ‘Tariffs are inflationary’ in letter to hedge fund investors
In 2024 Bessent wrote: “Tariffs are inflationary and would strengthen the dollar.” He denied this before the House Financial Services Committee.
'Did you lie?' Trump official confronted over false claim made under oath
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent faced a heated confrontation with a Democratic lawmaker and acknowledged that his earlier congressional testimony may have been mistaken.His error, Bessent insisted — despite the view of many economists — was his claim that he had not said “tariffs are inflationary.”“Earlier,” The New York Times reported, “he had denied having written to his hedge fund investors in 2024 that tariffs are inflationary. Present…
Scott Bessent Throws Down With Maxine Waters In Wild Capitol Hill Exchange
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent waged a verbal war on Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) during a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday, ultimately asking the California Congresswoman whether it would be possible for her to “maintain some level of dignity.”Waters had spent some of her time leading up to that heated exchange asking whether Bessent would be “the voice of reason” and oppose President Donald Trump’s tariffs.WATCH:Ma
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