Bessent Lashes Out During Testy Hearing As He Refuses To Explain Trump’s IRS Immunity Deal

BreakingBusinessBessent Lashes Out During Testy Hearing As He Refuses To Explain Trump’s IRS Immunity DealByAlison Durkee,Forbes Staff. Alison is a senior news reporter covering US politics and legal news.Follow AuthorJun 03, 2026, 12:10pm EDTToplineTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent sparred with Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday as lawmakers had their first opportunity to ask Bessent about the IRS’s settlement with President Donald Trump—and the treasury secretary refused to explain his agency’s decision to shield Trump and his sons from IRS audits and let them avoid legal liability.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies during a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on Capitol Hill on June 3.Getty ImagesKey FactsBessent testified to the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, one day after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed a planned $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” one of two provisions in Trump’s settlement with the IRS, was officially dead.The other provision in Trump’s IRS settlement prohibits the government from prosecuting or suing the president and his eldest sons for actions that took place before the settlement, and Blanche suggested Tuesday that part of the agreement is still in effect.Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the committee’s ranking member, attacked Bessent over the agreement Wednesday, calling it “an abuse of the IRS that goes way beyond anything we’ve seen in the past” and asking Bessent about its status and how the agreement was reached.Bessent refused to answer any questions about the agreement, saying only that he couldn’t comment due to “ongoing litigation” and referring further questions to the Justice Department—sparking ire from Wyden and other Democrats, who accused Bessent of “dodging questions” and intentionally avoiding talking about the controversial settlement.Bessent also lashed out at Wyden for attacking him over the agreement, claiming the Democratic senator “mendaciously slammed the Treasury Depar...