Washington, D.C. – February 5, 2026 – In a tense session before the House Financial Services Committee, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent found himself at the center of heated exchanges with Democratic lawmakers as he defended the Trump administration’s economic agenda. The hearing, focused on assessing financial stability risks, quickly devolved into partisan fireworks over issues such as tariffs, immigration, and skyrocketing housing costs. Bessent, a key architect of the administration’s fiscal policies, faced pointed questions from Democrats who accused the White House of exacerbating economic pressures on American families. He pushed back firmly, citing economic studies that suggest tariffs often