Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently found himself at the center of a heated protest while dining at Reveler’s Hour, a restaurant near the White House. Bessent described the incident as a “setup” involving the restaurant’s owner, who apparently had a role in the coordinated demonstration from the far-left activist group CODEPINK.
The confrontation kicked off when Olivia DiNucci, a member of CODEPINK, grabbed attention by tapping her glass and calling for a toast to Bessent. She shouted, “We want to make an announcement! We have a special guest here, and we want to make a toast for the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent!” But the cheer quickly turned sour as she accused Bessent of being responsible for the deaths of countless people worldwide due to economic sanctions, labeling them “economic warfare.”
The atmosphere escalated as patrons became visibly annoyed. Bessent, initially attempting to enjoy his dinner, was met with boos from the crowd. The exchange became more tense when another protester rebuffed the boos, declaring, “Of course you’re going to boo this. It’s the truth!” DiNucci continued her accusations, claiming that Bessent oversaw the deaths of 600,000 people annually. This prompted Bessent to fire back. “You are ignorant, and you have no idea how ignorant you are,” he said, all while trying to maintain his composure with his wine glass in hand.
As the incident unfolded, Bessent appeared to lose patience and complained to the waitstaff, who, according to his account, did not intervene. At one point, a nearby activist claimed he saw Bessent act disrespectfully, saying he “spit in his food” and left the table exaggeratedly, likening his actions to a scene from a television show.
Later, Bessent discussed the event on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, downplaying his experience and stating, “I wasn’t that sad” due to the poor quality of the food. He reiterated his feelings about the incident being orchestrated, saying, “It was clear that the restaurant owner was in on it with her.”
Looking ahead, Bessent plans to turn the negative experience into a positive one by organizing a “MAGA night” at Reveler’s Hour in the upcoming month. He said, “Don’t worry, restaurants called Revelers Hour … we hope everybody will show up for that.” His remarks painted a picture of someone unshaken by the protest, emphasizing that he wouldn’t back down or give in to intimidation. He concluded with a jab at DiNucci, suggesting that her behavior stemmed from a lack of nurturing in her youth.
This incident highlights the tense climate surrounding political figures in public settings, particularly those who hold controversial roles. The confrontation at the restaurant is not an isolated event; it mirrors previous actions taken by CODEPINK, which has a history of targeting political figures, including former President Trump. The protests serve as a reminder of the public’s growing discomfort with the status quo, as activists push back against policies they perceive as harmful. Scott Bessent’s experience in the restaurant shows how heated political discourse can spill into everyday life, transforming simple dinners into battlegrounds for clash and confrontation.
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