Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary under President Trump, reportedly threw a binder at a wall and verbally abused an undersecretary, leading to the departure of seven Senate-confirmed officials from Treasury by August. This high turnover rate is unprecedented compared to previous administrations. Staff describe Bessent as unpredictable and demanding, though he denies throwing the binder. The article details his close relationship with Trump and challenges in managing economic issues like inflation and national debt.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
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same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has faced criticism for his volatile behavior, including hurling a daily briefing binder at a wall due to frustration over its layout. In January, he verbally attacked John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, in front of aides, using profanity. This incident followed President Trump's directive to investigate fraud allegations in Minnesota’s Somali community, which Bessent felt was not being handled quickly enough by Hurley. As a result, Hurley left Treasury within weeks, becoming the US ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. By August, seven Senate-confirmed officials had quit Treasury under Bessent's tenure, surpassing the loss of any previous administration’s top officials at this stage.
Written for “Trump Money Man Meltdown” on 2026-10-07,
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent once grew so enraged over the way his daily briefing book was laid out that he grabbed the binder and hurled it at a wall, according to people familiar with the episode.
In January, he tore into his undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, John Hurley, unleashing a profanity-laced tirade in front of aides that staff working nearby could hear.
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staff → sign → that
The blowup came after Trump ordered Bessent to dig into fraud allegations in Minnesota's Somali community and the Treasury chief decided Hurley was dragging his feet, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Hurley → come → Journal
Within weeks Bessent was discussing with aides how to find the Senate-confirmed official a job outside the department.
asserted
Bessent → discuss → department
Not long after, Hurley left to become US ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
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Hurley → leave → Cooperation
He is one of seven Senate-confirmed officials to have quit Treasury by the end of August, while none of the previous four administrations had lost more than two at the same stage.
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none → confirm → stage
Bessent's conduct was a factor, and at times the deciding one, in several of those departures, people familiar with the matter told the Journal.
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people → decide → Journal
More than a dozen current and former officials described Bessent as a boss who berates senior advisers and junior staffers alike.
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who → describe → advisers
Some aides have even begun checking on his mood before going near him and others admitted relief when he is out of the office.
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he → begin → office
Bessent denied throwing the binder, while a Treasury spokesman sidestepped questions about his treatment of staff and said only that he 'has high expectations' of the department.
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he → deny → department
t Bessent once grew so enraged over the way his daily briefing book was laid out that he grabbed the binder and hurled it at a wall
Bessent has tied his own fate to the war in Iran, privately talking Trump into trading airstrikes for a sweeping sanctions campaign
Trump, who calls Bessent almost every day, has only pulled him closer, once joking at an event in Nevada: 'I created a monster'
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I → lay → monster
The Daily Mail has contacted the Treasury Department for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
The exodus comes as Trump leans on Bessent harder than ever to rescue an economy that could sink Republicans in next month's midterms.
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that → come → midterms
Bessent has tied his own fate to the war in Iran, privately talking Trump into trading airstrikes for a sweeping sanctions campaign.
However, the conflict has no clear end and the president has told aides he expects another bombing campaign after the midterms.
Meanwhile, soaring gas prices are keeping inflation stubbornly high and economic growth has stalled at around 2 percent.
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growth → tie → percent
A bond selloff has also sent 10-year Treasury yields to their highest level in more than two decades, despite a buyback program Bessent launched to rein them in.
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Bessent → send → them
The deficit has ballooned past 6 percent of GDP, double the 3 percent target Bessent sold to Trump, and the national debt recently blew through $40 trillion.
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debt → balloon → trillion
Trump, who calls him almost every day, has only pulled him closer, once joking at an event in Nevada: 'I created a monster.'
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I → call → monster
Bessent's outbursts are not confined to Treasury, and early in Trump's second term he had to be pulled apart from Elon Musk after the pair traded shouts in the West Wing over the IRS.
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pair → confine → IRS
Soaring gas prices are keeping inflation stubbornly high and economic growth has stalled at around 2 percent
Bessent had to be pulled apart from Elon Musk after a shouting match in the West Wing early in Trump's second term
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Bessent → soar → term
At the inaugural dinner of the Executive Branch, an exclusive MAGA club in Georgetown, in September 2025, he threatened
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he → threaten → September
punch Bill Pulte, Trump's housing chief, over claims Pulte was badmouthing him to the president
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Pulte → punch → president
Liberal hecklers from Code Pink confronted Bessent at a Washington restaurant in December, and he turned his fury on the owner for failing to throw them out.
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he → confront → them
He then spat in his own food before walking out, according to the owner and a diner sitting nearby.
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He → spit → owner
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers hit back, calling the professionalism and accountability Bessent has brought to Treasury 'one of the great accomplishments of this administration.'
Even Steve Bannon, who has known him for nearly a decade and counts himself a fan, admits Bessent has 'a tripwire and he's got a temper.'
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he → hit → temper
The Aporia
