Scott Bessent, 63, has shifted the Treasury secretary role toward open partisanship, aligning closely with former President Trump and drawing criticism from former officials and investors. Critics cite repeated disputed economic claims, political language in investor memos and public feuds—including alleged physical confrontations—as breaks with longstanding norms. The Treasury disputes the allegations and says markets do not view the secretary as a partisan actor.
Treasury’s New Partisan Face: Scott Bessent Aligns Openly With Trump, Critics Say
Magnus Lejhall/TT / via REUTERS
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 63, has sharply departed from decades of tradition by taking an openly partisan, pro‑Trump public stance, according to former and current Treasury officials and reporting in The Washington Post. Colleagues say his actions—including attending political rallies, repeating disputed economic claims and inserting political language into routine investor communications—have changed the traditionally nonpartisan tone of the Treasury secretary’s office.
What Officials and Observers Say
Dozens of former and current Treasury officials told The Washington Post that Bessent has become one of President Trump’s most visible enforcers. Critics argue that a role many presidents sought to keep out of politics is now being used to promote the administration’s political message.
“There’s a standard of decorum that’s traditionally applied to the treasury secretary that they are ignoring completely. That’s par for the course for the Trump administration,” a former Republican official told the Post.
Controversial Public Statements
Bessent has repeatedly amplified claims tied to the president that have been criticized as misleading. During a Fox News interview he repeated an assertion that "$20 trillion" in foreign investment had already flowed into the U.S. this year. In another appearance on Meet the Press, he suggested that moving from a "blue state to a red state" was an effective way to lower inflation—comments that drew skepticism from economists and former officials.
Trump has said that Bessent will help usher in a
Political Messaging In Market Communications
Investors told the Post that memos traditionally used to communicate technical information ahead of government auctions now contain political language under Bessent’s leadership. One November memo reportedly said, "In just a short six months, the administration has made extensive progress to enact an agenda that will bring prosperity to all Americans," a shift critics say injects partisanship into routine market communications.
Feuds And Allegations Of Physical Confrontations
Beyond rhetoric, Bessent has generated headlines for personal confrontations. The article cites an alleged West Wing scuffle with Tesla CEO Elon Musk that bystanders reportedly broke up. Separately, Politico reported that Bessent threatened to punch the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency after hearing the official had spoken negatively about him to the president.
He has also publicly attacked Democratic lawmakers. After Senator Elizabeth Warren urged banks not to back a large financial support package for Argentina, Bessent used the social platform X to label her an "American Peronist" and criticized her opposition to certain spending decisions. That post was reported as being viewed millions of times.
Elon Musk in the Oval Office, alongside Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. / Allison Robbert/Getty Images
Background And Reactions
Bessent previously advised investor George Soros in the 1990s and later rose to prominence in MAGA media circles, including appearances on Steven Bannon’s "War Room" podcast. Supporters inside the administration say public displays of loyalty are common for Cabinet officers serving a combative president, while critics warn that partisan public statements from the Treasury can undermine market confidence and long‑standing norms.
Treasury’s Response
When reached for comment, a Treasury spokesperson defended Bessent and pushed back on the reporting. The spokesperson told The Washington Post: "The markets strongly disagree with any assertion that Secretary Bessent is a partisan actor. Throwing rocks from inside a glass house is ill‑advised, and given the consistently absurd left‑wing partisanship of The Washington Post it is no surprise that Jeff Bezos has had to waste hundreds of millions of dollars in an attempt to save this rapidly sinking ship."
Implications: Critics say Bessent’s approach represents a notable break from the norm of keeping the Treasury secretary visibly nonpartisan, with potential consequences for investor confidence, interagency cooperation and the perceived neutrality of market communications. Supporters argue he is exercising political leadership consistent with the current administration’s priorities.
