SB
Scott Bessent
RepublicanSecretary of the Treasury| Age | 63 (b. 1962-08-21) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2025-01-20 (~1 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White (French and Scottish descent) |
| Religion | Huguenot (French Protestant) |
| Education | B.A. in Political Science, Yale University (1984); adjunct professor of economic history at Yale (2006–2011) |
| Prior occupation | Hedge fund manager and investor; founder of Key Square Group (2015); Chief Investment Officer at Soros Fund Management (2011–2015); founder of Bessent Capital (2000–2005); partner at Soros Fund Management (1991–2000); positions at Kynikos Associates, Brown Brothers Harriman, and Olayan Group; adjunct professor of economic history at Yale (2006–2011) |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Conway, South Carolina |
| Marital status | married — John Freeman |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Washington, D.C. (primary while serving); Charleston, South Carolina |
| Notable relatives | Uncle: John Jenrette, former U.S. Representative (D-SC, convicted in Abscam scandal 1980); Cousin: Richard Jenrette, co-founder of investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette |
| Openly LGBTQ | yes |
Pending research: languages.
Career & politics
| Previous offices | Acting Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (February 3–7, 2025) · Acting IRS Commissioner (August 8, 2025 – March 2026) |
| Leadership | 79th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (January 28, 2025–present) |
| Party history | Historically donated to Democrats including Al Gore, Barack Obama, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton; shifted to exclusively Republican donations after 2015 departure from Soros Fund Management; donated $1M to Trump's 2017 inaugural committee; became major Republican fundraiser by 2024. Of approximately $15 million in total political donations, all but roughly $300,000 has gone to Republicans. |
| Ideology | Fiscally conservative, pro-tariff, strong dollar advocate; supports tax cuts, deregulation, and cryptocurrency; opposes CBDCs and federal minimum wage increases; hawks on China and Russia; author of '3-3-3' economic plan (3% deficit/GDP, 3% GDP growth, +3M barrels/day energy output) |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $521,000,000–$784,000,000 (2025) · estimate
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) | fund · $50,000,000 · 2025 |
| Invesco QQQ (Nasdaq 100 ETF) | fund · $50,000,000 · 2025 |
| Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) | fund · $50,000,000 · 2025 |
| U.S. Treasury Bills | other · $50,000,000 · 2025 |
| Currency positions (USD/CNH, EUR/USD, USD/JPY) | other · $50,000,000 · 2025 |
| Key Square Group LP | business_owned · $50,000,000 · 2025 |
| Residential property, Nassau, Bahamas | real_estate · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2025 |
| Residential property, Cashiers, NC | real_estate · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2025 |
| High Plains LLP (North Dakota farmland, five counties) | real_estate · $5,000,000–$25,000,000 · 2025 |
| Commercial real estate, Charleston, SC | real_estate · $1,000,000–$5,000,000 · 2025 |
| Art and antiques | other · $1,000,000–$5,000,000 · 2025 |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) | fund · $250,001–$500,000 · 2025 |
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.