Was it a trap? It might have been, since Trump has officials who know how to play the media game now. From JD Vance to Scott Bessent, they understand what to do. They know how to mock, spar, and do whatever's needed because that’s part of dealing with today’s media.
Mr. Bessent held the press briefing yesterday, and it was chaotic. He criticized The Washington Post over the banknotes featuring Trump for our nation’s 250th birthday. He later torched this reporter about the notes he took in the cabinet meeting earlier, where he was caught writing the word “resilience.”
When asked why he wrote all those notes, Bessent said, “So people could look over my shoulder, photograph them, and think they got a scoop.”
Reporter: "You wrote 'resilience' on your Cabinet meeting notes, several times the photographer zoomed into it [...] why did you write all those notes?"@SecScottBessent: "So people could look over my shoulder, photograph them, and think they got a scoop." 😂 pic.twitter.com/XWjwv1sX2r
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 28, 2026
And yes, an outlet like The New Republic would run with something like this:
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was focused on one predominant message during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting: resilience, resilience, resilience.
At least, that’s what his notes let on. Evan Vucci, a senior photojournalist for Reuters, snagged a shot of Bessent’s writing pad, capturing several words the treasury secretary had scrawled in front of him.
“Resilience,” Bessent wrote, with an underscore beneath it.
Bessent also jotted down “Operation Economic Fury,” referring to the economic pressure and sanctions campaign initiated by the Trump administration against the government of Iran.
In parentheses, accompanied by a check mark, Bessent wrote: “Just in time, just in case,” and then, underneath that, another mention of “resilience” and “prosperity.”
Nicely played, Mr. Bessent.
