Treasury secretary Scott Bessent and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) shared a lighthearted moment during a congressional hearing.
President Donald Trump's treasury secretary appeared Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee to discuss the international financial system, and Waters started off her questions by asking whether they had met before.
"This is the first time we've met, is that correct?" Watters said
Bessent politely disagreed and reminded her of their first meeting.
"No, ma'am," the secretary said, smiling. "We actually met one New Year's Eve in the Bahamas."
The gallery broke into laughter, joined by Waters, who joked that Bessent must not have made an impression.
"Why don't I remember that?" she said.
Bessent offered a reason why he remembered their meeting so clearly.
"You were much better at the 'Electric Slide' than I was," Bessent said, and Waters pursed her lips and widened her eyes in exaggerated surprise. "I was with the prime minister of the Bahamas yesterday, prime minister [Philip] Davis, who sends his regards."
Waters established that her husband, Sid Williams, had been U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas under former president Bill Clinton, and then she jokingly dispensed with the pleasantry.
"You're not going to like this," she said, smiling broadly as Bessent chuckled. "Didn't remember that because you've been at [the] Treasury [Department] and I've sent you five letters to ask about what was going on under your leadership and only received a couple of cursory replies from your staff. Why didn't you respond?"
Bessent was left speechless, offering only a muted, "ma'am," and Waters continued.
"I guess you don't know why you didn't respond," she said.
