Scott Bessent U.S. Pres. Donald Trump's Treasury secretary Scott Bessent speaking at a conference in 2024. Although Bessent has donated to Democratic politicians, he has also had a long relationship with the Trump family. (more) Scott Bessent United States secretary of the Treasury Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Scott-Bessent Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Scott Kenneth Homer Bessent Written by Fred Frommer Fred Frommer is a sports historian, author, and writer who has written for a host of national publications. Fred Frommer Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 15, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Quick Facts In full: Scott Kenneth Homer Bessent (Show more) Born: August 21, 1962, Conway, South Carolina, U.S. (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Scott Bessentu2019s role in the Trump administration? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Scott Bessent is the United States secretary of the Treasury in the second administration of Pres. Donald Trump. He was previously a hedge fund manager on Wall Street, working with liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What political campaigns has Scott Bessent contributed to? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Scott Bessent has donated to both liberal and conservative candidates, including Democrats Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Barack Obama, as well as contributing $1 million to Donald Trumpu2019s 2017 inaugural committee." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What controversy has marked Scott Bessentu2019s time as Treasury secretary? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Scott Bessentu2019s time in the Trump administration has included a reported altercation he had with Elon Musk and comments he made on privatizing Social Security, which he later clarified." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Scott Bessentu2019s stance on tariffs? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Scott Bessent has tried to temper some of Pres. Donald Trumpu2019s most aggressive tariff proposals and worked to negotiate deals with countries affected by tariffs, including helping to secure a 90-day pause on tariffs on Chinese goods in August 2025." } } ] } Top Questions What is Scott Bessent’s role in the Trump administration? Scott Bessent is the United States secretary of the Treasury in the second administration of Pres. Donald Trump. He was previously a hedge fund manager on Wall Street, working with liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

　　What political campaigns has Scott Bessent contributed to? Scott Bessent has donated to both liberal and conservative candidates, including Democrats Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Barack Obama, as well as contributing $1 million to Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee.

　　What controversy has marked Scott Bessent’s time as Treasury secretary? Scott Bessent’s time in the Trump administration has included a reported altercation he had with Elon Musk and comments he made on privatizing Social Security, which he later clarified.

　　What is Scott Bessent’s stance on tariffs? Scott Bessent has tried to temper some of Pres. Donald Trump’s most aggressive tariff proposals and worked to negotiate deals with countries affected by tariffs, including helping to secure a 90-day pause on tariffs on Chinese goods in August 2025.

　　Scott Bessent (born August 21, 1962, Conway, South Carolina, U.S.) is the United States secretary of the Treasury in the second administration of Pres. Donald Trump. Bessent spent much of his career on Wall Street, working for a time with liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros. A multimillionaire, Bessent has given to liberal and conservative political candidates and causes, but, as a longtime Trump family friend, he has become one of the main public-facing voices for Trump’s economic policies, particularly on tariffs. Bessent was born to Homer Gaston Bessent, Jr., and Barbara McLeod Bessent and grew up in South Carolina. His ...(100 of 1045 words)

　　Unlock the full article Access our trusted destination for facts and information 7-Day Free Trial, No Ads, Unlimited Access, Exclusive Content Subscribe Today