Scott Bessent, Maxine Waters Exchange Highlights Congressional Hearing on Financial Policies

During a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent surprised Rep. Maxine Waters by recalling that they had met years earlier at a New Year's Eve party in the Bahamas, where he joked she was better at the Electric Slide. This lighthearted exchange briefly lightened an otherwise tense session, as Waters quickly pivoted to criticize Bessent for his lack of responsiveness to her inquiries about Treasury Department policies. The hearing focused on economic issues, including Bessent’s role in current financial policy and transparency, with Waters expressing concern over the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to Treasury systems. Bessent defended the department, stating its employees only had read-only access and followed standard protocols. The exchange highlighted both the personal history between the two and ongoing scrutiny over the Treasury’s handling of economic and security matters.