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Today we heard from Lee Zeldin (EPA Administrator), Scott Bessent (Treasury Secretary) and Eric Scott Turner (Housing and Urban Development Secretary). They'll be easily confirmed.
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This is the end of the Bessent hearing.
Dems were keen on making sure the world knows they think the rich are evil, they don't pay their fair share in taxes, and they're the party for working people -- all of which are lies.
The GOP asked routine questions, but we all know this guy is safe.
Some bipartisan work might be done on credit card company fees, interest rates, and small business fees.
Bessent was calm, collected, and answered all questions. Some were a bit rocky in the delivery, but this guy won't be blocked.
"Do you see the fires in LA right now? Did you see the storms ripple through Georgia and through North Carolina? The threat of climate change hasn't gone away."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 16, 2025
Sen. Markey is blaming the fires in LA and recent hurricanes on climate change, just like Biden did in his final… pic.twitter.com/KG7m1dXtE4
Similar to Sean Duffy's nomination debate, there were showings of bipartisanship.
Ranking minority member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) presented the new GOP committee chair, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), with a gavel crafted from West Virginian wood and used by her father. "Madam chair, may you bang it in good health," Whitehouse joked, adding that they have "indeed worked well together" and calling for future "big bipartisan opportunities." Capito gratefully accepted the gavel.
“I'd like to let everyone know that I like the chairman. That's a good start,” Whitehouse said.
Minutes later, Whitehouse suggested Zeldin "will be merely a rubber stamp for looters and polluters who are setting the Trump agenda."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) pressed Zeldin on whether he sees climate change as an "existential threat" and if he agrees with Trump saying climate change is "a hoax."
"I believe that climate change is real. As far as President Trump goes, the context that I've heard him speak about it was the criticism of policies that have been enacted because of climate change and about the economic costs of some policies," Zeldin replied.
Sanders, unsatisfied, said: "I would respectfully disagree with you. I think he's called it a hoax time and time again." Zeldin reiterated that Trump's comments should be taken in the context of the climate alarmism policy landscape. "I think that he's concerned about the economic costs of some policies where there's a debate and a difference of opinion," Zeldin explained.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who introduced Zeldin, said he will "correct the course of the EPA." Capito said "the EPA must return to its core missions," better manage tax dollars, and implement environmental policies that also benefit economic growth.
She noted that Zeldin met ahead of time with multiple members of the committee. "I think that was definitely reflected in the tone and the substance that we saw here today, so I appreciate that," Capito said.
🚨 Trump's Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent: "I see no reason for the U.S. to have a Central Bank Digital Currency."pic.twitter.com/Da0I6JFSOT
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 16, 2025
MUST WATCH: "President Trump chose me because he believes that I'm the best candidate — not because of my sexual preference, not because treasury secretaries with green eyes do better — and I think it is a tribute to President Trump that he looks at people AS PEOPLE." pic.twitter.com/0bE5AhGmjG
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
BARRASSO: What would letting the Trump tax cuts expire mean for small businesses?
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
BESSENT: "It would be devastating, especially for small businesses... I believe Wall Street has done great the past few years, and that Main Street has suffered. I think it's Main Street's time." pic.twitter.com/t6dgp0zEpm
BESSENT: Iran was down to 100,000 barrels of oil exports when President Trump left office — they're now exporting ~1.7 million.
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
We can make the Iranian regime broke again — and at the same time, increase our domestic production with the highest energy standards in the world. pic.twitter.com/6GbgBDCu4h
Katie has covered the lack of consumer demand despite the Biden-Harris administration's EV mandate. Ford lost about $4.7 billion on EVs two years ago and projects last year's losses as in the range of $5 billion to $5.5 billion. In a recent quarter, Hertz took a $245 million hit to its earnings due to a drop in value of the EVs it was selling.
Ricketts notes that EV adoption in his state of Nebraska is a mere 2 percent whilst nationally it is about 7 percent. The current Biden-Harris administration's EV mandate is to have two-thirds of all new vehicles being sold as EVs by 2032. "That's just clearly not realistic," Ricketts said.
Sen. Tillis says he'll support Bessent.
He had humble beginnings and noted that his family got poorer when the government had some plan to tax the rich.
Closing line: the GOP needs to deliver on the economic front
🔥 MUST WATCH: When Bernie 'three houses' Sanders brings up Biden's claim last night that America is moving towards an oligarchy controlled by a few wealthy people, Scott Bessent reminds him that he just gave George Soros the Presidential Medal of Freedom. pic.twitter.com/9pxnQvqr1i
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
BESSENT: The December 8th hack by Chinese entities into the Treasury Department was through a work-from-home software app.
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
In the Trump administration, we'll be IN THE OFFICE. pic.twitter.com/oY0CRGCEEb
Sen. Lujan asks Besent if he'd cut many programs, including Medicare and Head Start.
Bessent refuses to answer, noting that he would need to see a full budgetary workup
A very long-winded way of saying he wouldn't entertain answering hypotheticals
Senator @BernieSanders: "Trump said he wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. I agree with him. Will you be supportive of what Trump and I would like to do?"
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
Treasury Secretary-designate Scott Bessent: "When President Trump takes office, and if I am confirmed, I will… pic.twitter.com/AnDrrKVvUN
Whitehouse is attacking America First Works, where Zeldin is a board member. The non-profit champions America First security and economic policies.
Second round of questioning is underway for Zeldin. Some senators are balancing multiple congressional hearings today so we may not hear again from them.
Sen. Alex Padilla asks Doug Burgum, nominee for secretary of the interior, if he would "commit to responding to every disaster with as much support and resources as possible regardless of which state or jurisdiction the disaster is in?”
— PBS News (@NewsHour) January 16, 2025
Burgum: "Absolutely." pic.twitter.com/fW7ddpoPG3
Dems are trying to keep this dead narrative alive about how they're trying to make life easier for "regular people"
Dems are a party of snobby, college-educated, wealthy whites.
Funny how rich libs owning the media wasn;t a problem until Elon Musk bought Twitter and prevented them from controlling information
Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum on how he would help to make President-elect Trump's vision of American energy dominance come to fruition. pic.twitter.com/FtDPITYafu
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 16, 2025
Sanders worries about billionaires controlling the media and warns about America becoming an oligarchic society.
Bessent noted Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to two billionaires.
Sen. Sanders has arrived for the Bessent hearing and, like clockwork, goes into his wealth and inequality schtick
Housing and Urban Development nominee @sturnerofficial describes how he will deregulate and streamline HUD: "Taking inventory of the programs at HUD is one of the first priorities we'll take. What's working for the American people and what's not." pic.twitter.com/zRkJJiqCH3
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
Interior Secretary Nominee @DougBurgum: "What's coming right now with AI revolution's going to happen during President Trump's term... China — they permitted more than 2 coal plants a week in the first half of 2023... We're competing against someone who's going to create more… pic.twitter.com/sM73GzJpGK
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 16, 2025
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) notes that Zeldin is a JAG officer.
"So if Pete Hegseth gives you a hard time, call me," Graham jokes.
Sen. Michael Bennet took all his time to RANT and RANT about the Trump tax cuts only benefitting the richest Americans...for nearly FIVE STRAIGHT minutes.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 16, 2025
Scott Bessent calmly destroyed the narrative (4:53 mark). pic.twitter.com/FoCdwA0wKV
Sen. Lankford mentioned Pillar 2. Here's what that is, and it's no shock that the Biden admin. loved it.
America Last days is coming to an end.
Bessent eager to reverse this terrible policy
Bessent mentions Jake Sullivan announcing more sanctions on Russian oil and gas companies.
Gas prices in the US have risen 9 percent this month.
Says he might be willing to continue that policy to get Russians to the table
Burgum said that America needs more "clean coal" to power AI.
“This is part of a larger crisis our nation is facing around electricity. We have a shortage of electricity, and especially we have a shortage of baseload...Without baseload, we're going to lose the AI arms race to China. And if we lose the AI arms race to China, then that's got direct impacts on our national security in the future of this country.”
Bessent: If the Treasury can play a role in ending the Ukraine War, I'd be welcome to exploring those options