A fiery confrontation between Rep. Maxine Waters and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a House Financial Services Committee hearing exposed deep divisions over tariff policy and its impact on American families struggling with rising costs.

Congressional Hearing Turns Contentious

Waters, the committee’s ranking Democrat, challenged Bessent on whether tariffs drive inflation, citing increased prices for everyday goods like coffee and bananas. When Bessent repeatedly interrupted her questioning, Waters famously asked Chairman French Hill to intervene, demanding, “Can you shut him up?” The exchange echoed Waters’ viral 2017 confrontation with Steven Mnuchin, where her “reclaiming my time” phrase gained national attention.

Scott Bessent: “Ten to twenty million immigrants took the housing stock of working Americans…”

Maxine Waters: “Can you shut up?”

Scott Bessent: “And can you maintain some level of dignity?”

The difference of about 90 IQ points. pic.twitter.com/3rAgVOisPt

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) February 4, 2026

Bessent defended the administration’s tariff policies, citing San Francisco Federal Reserve data spanning 150 years to argue that tariffs do not cause broad inflation. He countered Waters’ housing affordability concerns by claiming immigration policies contributed more significantly to rising home costs than tariffs on construction materials like lumber and steel.

Economic Data Behind the Debate

Both representatives presented valid economic arguments reflecting complex market dynamics. Waters correctly noted that specific goods subject to tariffs have experienced price increases, particularly imported items like furniture and certain clothing. However, Bessent’s reference to Federal Reserve research demonstrates that historical tariff increases typically create economic uncertainty that dampens overall demand, offsetting inflationary pressures in the short term.

RECLAIMING MY TIME

RECLAIMING MY WIG

I had to pull out the Maxine Waters wig for this one, she absolutely hates when I do this

She lost her mind.

She told Secretary @SecScottBessent
to SHUT UP pic.twitter.com/hob1CpWAcE

— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) February 5, 2026

Implications for American Families

The heated exchange highlighted ongoing concerns about affordability facing voters ahead of the midterm elections. While unemployment rose from 4% to 4.4% throughout 2025, annual inflation decreased slightly from 3% to 2.7%. The Federal Reserve research suggests tariffs create one-time price adjustments rather than sustained inflation, though long-term costs may persist while employment levels typically recover to pre-tariff baselines over time.