I don't know if I've mentioned this before - okay, I know I have, but I'm going to say it again.
Scott Bessent - GAH-RRROOOWWWLLLLLLLL
Whew.
I feel better.
Holy smokes, for a cabinet stuffed to the gills with oversized intellects and booming characters, it really takes a blazing comet-like personality to consistently rise above such a stellar crew, but two guys do it effortlessly. One is obviously the masterful global Jack-of-All-Trades, our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
His polar opposite in personality, yet always a center-stage kind of guy the second he opens his mouth, is the utterly urbane, completely unruffled, and smooth-as-silk Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent.
Nothing fazes the man, and he is so delightful that having a chance to watch him in action is a real treat.
We got that today, thanks to the absence of Presidential Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on happy baby maternity leave. The Treasury Secretary, like the Sec State before him, got his turn at the podium in the White House Press Room first thing this afternoon.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will lead Thursday afternoon’s White House press briefing, hours after the new app for the Trump administration’s newborn investment accounts went live.
President Trump has touted the investments, dubbed “Trump Accounts” and established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as another economic win ahead of the midterms.
What a hoot.
I'll post the whole half hour below, but I did want to get to the highlights for you because they turned out to be pretty newsworthy in their own right.
Bessent addressed the three-layered Iranian government, the difficulty the different levels are having communicating because they've been removed and replaced so many times, and the patience wearing thin on the American side.
WITH THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT, WE DID NOT HAVE REGIME CHANGE, BUT WE CHANGED THE REGIME
BREAKING: Secretary Scott Bessent issues a stark warning to Iran, revealing the regime's leadership structure is in disarray and that President Trump's patience with the Islamic Republic is wearing thin.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 28, 2026
"We are being patient. We do not have unlimited patience.”
“President… pic.twitter.com/THmX5vWeKR
He loves playing with the press, too, and letting them know he did.
🚨 LMAO! REPORTER: "You wrote 'RESILIENCE' on your notes in the cabinet meeting several times when the photographer zoomed in! Why did you write those notes?!"
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 28, 2026
BESSENT: "So people could look over my shoulder, photograph it, and think they got a scoop!" 🤣 pic.twitter.com/c7QAmXVTQq
REPORTER: "You wrote 'RESILIENCE' on your notes in the cabinet meeting several times when the photographer zoomed in! Why did you write those notes?!"
BESSENT: "So people could look over my shoulder, photograph it, and think they got a scoop!"
The Treasury Secretary gave an update on the progress of their investigation into the funding of Antifa, and said it was moving along well.
Bessent also made news during those comments, saying that the Internal Revenue Service would now hold non-governmental organizations (NGOs) accountable for the actions of the recipients of their grants.
It's opening another avenue into tracing and choking off the funding for violent protest groups, such as Antifa and the DSA-funded splinter groups.
This scrutiny and sudden liability is going to be wigging some of the bad actors in the dark money business out even further, and it's about time.
Secretary Bessent tells me the FBI and Treasury Department will have "a lot to report" on their investigation into the funding of Antifa. He says their findings will come in the weeks and months ahead. pic.twitter.com/CTSKp06AHw
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) May 28, 2026
..."The IRS is now giving guidance on the Form 990, which nonprofits they have to file. We are going to DEMAND that nonprofits know their grant recipients."
"So if a grant recipient is violent, if they are suppressing people's rights, then YOU are responsible for that."
As for the for the investigation into who is funding Antifa terrorism:
"We made substantial progress. And I think in the weeks and months ahead, we are going to have a lot to report."
How many years have they been saying, 'Go after the money'? We finally have an administration that is.
Secretary Bessent says the results of the FBI’s investigation into Antifa is coming soon: pic.twitter.com/dmU3rg1tM7
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) May 28, 2026
It also appears there's been a general scrum in nations rumored to have plans to 'toll' the Strait of Hormuz whenever it opens, including Oman. Bessent was asked about that by Fox's Peter Doocy.
After speaking to the Omani ambassador, the Secretary says Oman has reconsidered what they insist they weren't really thinking about anyway.
All a big misunderstanding...yo.
WE'RE GOOD, RIGHT?
🚨 NOW — DOOCY: President Trump said Oman will behave just like everybody else or we will have to blow them up. Are you guys back there in the West Wing making plans for a new war with Oman?
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 28, 2026
SEC. BESSENT: "The president wanted to punctuate freedom of navigation in the Strait."… pic.twitter.com/zmSVzbdigw
DOOCY: President Trump said Oman will behave just like everybody else or we will have to blow them up. Are you guys back there in the West Wing making plans for a new war with Oman?
SEC. BESSENT: "The president wanted to punctuate freedom of navigation in the Strait."
"I had a call with the Omani ambassador this morning and he assured me that there were no plans for tolling the Strait."
"As he said, our country has had 200 years of good relations. He wants to have another 200 more and I told him that this was a non-starter and he did not want to risk either the Omani individuals or Omani financial institutions getting sanctions."
BOOMITY
There was more, but the chef's kiss was the last question, and the mic drop answer that Bessent closed the briefing on.
Please.
Savor the cobra-like strike.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just ended his White House press briefing with a legendary one-line dunk on Gavin Newsom.
— Overton (@overton_news) May 28, 2026
REPORTER: “Governor Gavin Newsom has floated this idea of a 100% state tax on Californians who receive money from President Trump’s anti-weaponization fund.… pic.twitter.com/jxwNAhgVRe
The smile never left his face, and yet, so jovially lethal.
The entire thing is here if you're so inclined.
This cabinet has been a marvel - it really has.
Lucky dang us, no?
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