Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed the Washington Post for its “terribly written” article about a potential $250 bill with Trump’s face on it while sparring with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during a White House press briefing on Thursday.
The Washington Post report alleges that Trump administration officials are pressuring the Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) to design a $250 bill featuring Trump’s portrait.
“Legislation that would allow Trump to appear on a $250 bill was introduced in Congress last year to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary, but has languished,” the report notes. Still, the Washington Post asserts that U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach and adviser Mike Brown are behind the push to put Trump’s face on a bill. The report even quotes a Treasury official, who says the BEP “is conducting appropriate planning and due diligence,” yet still suggests that the Trump Administration is attempting to flout the law.
“I didn’t really understand what the story was,” Bessent told reporters.
Earlier in the briefing, Bessent confirmed that the Treasury is preparing a draft of the banknote for production if Congress passes the bill.
This, of course, angered liberal reporters, who questioned whether it's a good idea or politically wise for Trump's face to be on a bill.
Kaitlan Collins asked Bessent if he thinks it's a good idea politically for Trump "to put his face on a $250 bill when people are struggling to afford gas and groceries." This was after Bessent had already told a different reporter asking the same question that it's the House and Senate's decision to make, not the President's.
WATCH:
Bessent, in response to Collins' biased question, went off, pulling up a copy of the Washington Post's report and slamming the story as "terribly written" and "terribly edited."
"Basically, what it says is that Treasury is following the law, and that we've created the bill, and that it's up to Congress, but that we follow the bill... I didn't really understand what the story was, but anyway," Bessent said, ignoring Collins' comment about the economy.
She continued pressing Bessent on whether Trump's appointees were pushing for the Treasury to start preparing the bill for printing, and Bessent responded, "We have to prepare in advance. You can't draw something up the day before."
Collins fired back, "Politically, do you think it's a good idea, though, when people are struggling to afford gas and groceries?" When Bessent tied the plans to the celebration of America's 250th anniversary, questioning whether we should hold a celebration, Collins defiantly told him, "Well, that's happening anyway, but putting the President's face on a $250 is a choice."
"But Kaitlan, it's not happening anyway. It's happening because it's being funded by private citizens, by the federal government, by state governments, by municipal governments to celebrate our country," he responded. "And I don't think that there's anything untoward about having the President of the United States, that the person who was president of the United States on the 250th anniversary bill."
Bessent then called on the next reporter, but Collins rudely continued attempting to ask questions even after he told her he was not giving her a follow-up. Still, she cut off other reporters to shout her question, and Bessent shut her down, saying, "I will not be taking any other questions, meaning I will not be taking any other questions."
The post WATCH: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Holds Up “Terribly Written, Terribly Edited” WaPo Article and NUKES CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Over Trump $250 Bill appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
