Longtime California Representative, Maxine Waters snapped during a tense House Financial Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, as lawmakers questioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on a range of issues, from economic policy and tariffs to inflation and the impact of immigration on housing affordability.
Rep. Waters, the ranking member on the committee, was grilling Bessent on whether President Trump's tariffs were inflationary and harmful to consumers, suggesting they amounted to a "war on American consumers." She pressed him on whether he would act as a "voice of reason" in the administration and urge Trump to reduce or eliminate the tariffs to lower costs for Americans.
“Will you be the voice of reason in the administration and urge Trump to stop waging a war on American consumers?” Waters asked. “Yes or no?”
“You seem confused as to the definition of inflation,” Bessent began before Waters interupted, and repeated her question.
The exchange quickly devolved into both officials talking over one another. Bessent argued that the Biden administration had “let in between 10 and 20 million immigrants,” who he said went on to consume housing that would otherwise have gone to working Americans.
🚨 JUST IN: Sec. Scott Bessent is EMBARRASSING low-IQ Rep. Maxine Waters right now, this is priceless 😂
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 4, 2026
WATERS: Did you say Trump's tariffs are INFLATIONARY?!
BESSENT: "Uhh...no. 🤨"
WATERS: OK, we have a New York Times article-
BESSENT: "-*New York Times?* 😂"
WATERS: Are… pic.twitter.com/ZpPyxxET7o
And then Rep. Waters lost it.
"Can you shut up?" she asked.
"Can you maintain some level of dignity?" Sec. Bessent shot back.
"The gentlelady's time has expired," the chairman, Representative French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas, said.
"No, my time has not expired," Waters said. "The gentleman took up my time. I think you should recognize that Mr. Chair."
"The gentlewoman's time has expired," the chairman repeated. "The gentlewoman's time has expired."
"If you want to protect him, go ahead, but I would not expect you to do that," Rep. Waters said as the chairman began to talk over her to proceed with the hearing.
“MAINTAIN SOME LEVEL OF DIGNITY!”
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 4, 2026
Scott Bessent SHUTS DOWN Maxine Waters after she loses control of her emotions and demands Sec Bessent “shut up.” pic.twitter.com/XesZbBr4DU
This latest clash follows a string of sharp exchanges Bessent has had with top Democrats over the past month. Most notably, he blasted California Gov. and Democratic presidential hopeful Gavin Newsom at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Newsom was seen cozying up to Alex Soros and making bizarre remarks about President Trump, likening him to a T-Rex and declaring, “You mate with him, or he devours you. One or the other.”