1 day Ago
Sanchez twice questioned Bessent during a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee and suggested solving the pandemic-driven spending crisis by "rolling back your tariffs which had an adverse impact on the economy." "It raised prices for necessary goods as well as other essential goods," she claimed. As Bessent attempted to answer, Sanchez cut in:
"Incessant commentary," she muses: "Please don't interrupt me … I know I'm a woman, but please try to restrict yourself to responses to my questions."
The comment was followed by groans from the audience, after which one person could be heard saying, "Oh, come on." Sanchez later defended her remark by noting, "We get talked over all the time, and I don't want that to be happening to us at this hearing."
Bessent, who is openly gay, did not respond to the remark based on gender and continued the trade discussion, saying that China honored its 2020 trade commitments under Trump, but the Biden administration did not have them enforced.
White House and Lawmakers Respond
The episode went viral on social media with the White House's rapid response team branding Sanchez's comment "shameful". Chairman Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) needed to interrupt on several occasions to restore order and ensure the session stayed on schedule.
Sanchez blasted the Trump and Biden administrations for their handling of negotiations with China on trade, calling them non-transparent. She noted that Trump's announcement that a trade deal between the U.S. and China had been negotiated in two days concerned her. Bessent stood by the deal as "a first step in a broader process," adding that China is "an unreliable partner."
Sanchez's office has not returned phone calls from the media seeking comment. The fight highlights accelerating frustrations on Capitol Hill over trade policy, as well as gender dynamics in the national political conversation.
