Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has long been one of the most underrated figures in the Trump administration, in my opinion. But over the past few weeks, that’s started to change in a big way. As he’s taken direct aim at potential Democratic contenders for 2028, Bessent has emerged as a serious national — and international — voice, showing a command of policy and messaging that Democrats clearly weren’t prepared for. What was once quiet competence is now unmistakable political firepower, and it’s putting the left on notice far earlier than they expected.
We saw this, for instance, in his smooth verbal smackdown of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) during the World Economic Forum in Davos last Wednesday. The Treasury boss remarked that “it’s very, very ironic that Gov. Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris. He’s here this week with his billionaire sugar daddy, Alex Soros.”
Later, Newsom made a crude kneepads “joke” during the same forum while comparing President Trump to a T. rex. At that, Bessent cracked “to say strange things, like Trump is a Tyrannosaurus rex, what the hell does that mean? I could say Gavin Newsom is a brontosaurus with a brain the size of a walnut. And if you brought the kneepads, maybe that was for his meeting with Alex Soros.”
Pure gold.
Bessent was still at the top of his game Sunday when he sat down with ABC News “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl — a journalist better known for churning out anti-Trump books than asking fair questions. Karl clearly seemed eager to spring a “gotcha” about Saturday’s CBP shooting in Minnesota that left one protester dead.
But the ambush never landed. Instead of playing defense, Bessent calmly reframed the issue, putting the events in proper context and squarely shifting responsibility where it belonged — onto Minnesota’s Democratic governor, Tim Walz, who also happens to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run. In one exchange, Bessent turned what was supposed to be a media trap into an indictment of failed Democratic leadership:
KARL: And before you go, I know this is not your lane, but I got to ask you about what’s happened in Minneapolis. As a member of the — of the Trump cabinet, are you concerned to see another American citizen ends up dead, shot by federal law enforcement?
BESSENT: Jonathan, it’s a tragedy when anyone dies, but I can tell you the situation on the ground there is being stirred up by Governor Walz. I was out there two weeks ago. Governor Walz declined to provide a security detail for me to go into the Minnesota capital with the state police. So, he is fomenting the — he is fomenting chaos because there is substantial waste, fraud and abuse.
My job as Treasury secretary is to investigate that, and I think that, you know, this chaos that’s going on out there, and again, I am sorry that this gentleman is dead, but he did bring a nine-millimeter semi-automatic weapon with two cartridges to what was supposed to be a peaceful protest. I think that there are a lot of paid agitators who are ginning things up, and the governor has not done a good job of tamping this down.
KARL: Yes. I mean, as you know, he was an ICU nurse, worked for the Veterans Administration, and there’s no evidence that he brandished the gun whatsoever. In fact, it appears that —
BESSENT: He brought a gun. (CROSSTALK)
KARL: He’d been disarmed before he was — (CROSSTALK)
BESSENT: He brought a gun. Have you ever gone to a protest, Jonathan?
KARL: I mean, we do have a Second Amendment in this country that —
BESSENT: Jonathan, have you ever gone to a protest?
KARL: I mean —
BESSENT: Have you gone to a protest?
KARL: I mean, I’ve — no, actually, as a reporter covering it.
BESSENT: OK. I’ve been to a protest.
KARL: Yes.
BESSENT: Guess what? I didn’t bring a gun. I brought a billboard.
KARL: OK. Secretary Bessent, thank you for joining us.
? HOLY SMOKES. Sec. Scott Bessent just EXPOSED Tim Walz after Fake News ABC tried goading him into attacking ICE
"I was out there two weeks ago, Governor Walz DECLINED to provide a security detail for me to go into the Minnesota Capitol with the state police! So he is FOMENTING… pic.twitter.com/O5GQmrbm9h
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 25, 2026
Again, just gold.
As an aside, it’s disgusting to see left-wing ‘media’ types who have spent their careers pushing gun control suddenly discover the Second Amendment when it suits their BS anti-Trump narrative. Pathetic.
