Boogie woogie woogie.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent took an electric trip down memory lane Wednesday — when he randomly reminisced about partying it up with Rep. Maxine Waters years ago in the Bahamas.
Waters (D-Calif.) was gearing up to grill the former hedge fund manager during a House Financial Services Committee hearing when Bessent suddenly caught her off guard.
“This is the first time we’ve met, is that correct?” she asked, attempting to make a point about Bessent not being responsive to the numerous requests she made to his office.
“No ma’am, we actually met one New Year’s Eve in the Bahamas,” Bessent replied, drawing chuckles from the hearing room.
Taking his comment in stride, Waters laughed, saying, “You didn’t make an impression? Why don’t I remember that?”
“You were much better at the Electric Slide than I was,” Bessent told her, referring to the cringeworthy dance song and wedding reception staple from 1996.
Waters has frequently visited the Bahamas over the years, with her husband Sidney Williams serving as ambassador to the tropical island under the Clinton administration from 1994 to 1998.
“I was with the Prime Minister of the Bahamas yesterday, Prime Minister Davis, who sends his regards,” Bessent added.
After recovering from Bessent’s unexpected joke, Waters returned to grilling him over what she described as his lack of responsiveness.
“I didn’t remember that, but that’s odd, because you’ve been at Treasury and I sent you five letters to ask about what was going on under your leadership, and only received a couple of cursory replies from your staff. Why didn’t you respond?” she asked.
Bessent stuttered initially but eventually suggested that he’s been trying to stay on top of the influx of inquiries he receives.
The two also tangled over the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) machinations with the Treasury Department, including why an ally of the cost-cutting initiative was allowed there.
“He was a Treasury employee, as was Tom Krause, the senior person on the DOGE team,” Bessent countered.
Waters has been one of President Trump’s most bombastic critics among House Democrats, has gained national attention during his first term for encouraging progressives to lash out at his administration officials in public.
Earlier this year, she suggested that the president should deport first lady Melania Trump.
