A new book by two New York Times reporters claims Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent referred to Ukrainian President Zelensky in private conversations with crude derogatory language, including slurs like 'little bastard' and 'special needs child.' The allegations echo a prior report published earlier this evening by The Zioneer, which cited a different book and journalist.
A new book by two New York Times reporters, as reported by N12, levels fresh allegations against U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding his private remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the book, Bessent used crude and derogatory language toward Zelensky in private conversations, including calling him a "little bastard," a "special needs child," and "Mr. Bean on crack." The book further claims Bessent advised President Trump not to host Zelensky in the Oval Office before he signed a minerals agreement with the U.S., ahead of Zelensky's tense February 2025 visit to Washington.
These allegations stem from a different source than a previous report published earlier this evening by The Zioneer, which cited a book by The Guardian and described similar crude insults attributed to Bessent. The two accounts appear to describe overlapping but distinct episodes reported by different journalists. Neither set of claims has been independently confirmed by Bessent, the Treasury Department, or the White House.
The incident has reportedly fueled tensions between the Trump administration and Kyiv over the stalled minerals framework, which was a key element of the administration's economic engagement with Ukraine. The allegations remain unverified, and Bessent has not publicly commented.
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