Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday called for the Senate Democrats to end the government shutdown, saying it “may start costing the U.S. economy up to $15 billion a day.”
Speaking to reporters from his department’s Washington, D.C. headquarters alongside U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the secretary said “moderate Democrats” can make a “very simple decision” to become “heroes.”
“Thank you all for being here at Treasury today in the midst of this shutdown,” Bessent began. “We call on the moderate Democrats in the Senate to be heroes. Be heroes, break away from the hive of radicalism and do something for the American people, because we are starting to cut into muscle here.”
“We believe that the shutdown may start costing the U.S. economy up to $15 billion a day,” the Trump-appointed economic expert revealed.
His press conference immediately followed a televised appearance at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, where he placed the blame for the shutdown, which has entered day 15, squarely on the shoulders of the Democrat Party.
“And this is a decision the Democrats are making,” Bessent continued in his remarks to reporters. “And one of the reasons that they are not being held to task is because the mainstream media is not coming at them the way they would have if the Republicans were willing to keep the government closed.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) highlighted the Democrats’ hypocrisy using their own words as they protested against previous government shutdowns, having the following video playing on loop on a television outside his office in the U.S. Capitol just before the clock ran out on passing a continuing resolution (CR):
“It is a very simple decision. Mike Johnson passed a clean CR,” the Treasury secretary continued. “[Senate Majority Leader John] Thune passed a clean CR. Three Democrats have voted for it, and right here, right now, I am calling for the moderate Democrats to be heroes.”
“Be heroes, and reopen the government for the American people,” Bessent said.
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
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