UMVA has learned that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unleashed a verbal blast that left California Governor Gavin Newsom stunned during a Thursday press briefing.
Bessent faced a question about Newsom’s claim that the state would tax 100% of payouts from President Trump’s anti‑weaponization compensation fund. In one crisp sentence, the secretary declared, “There’s no cure for STUPID,” and then walked out of the room.
The remark ignited a firestorm online, with videos of the exchange spreading like wildfire across social media.
Newsom, already under fire for California’s soaring taxes and economic woes, had floated the idea of clawing back every dollar Californians might receive from the $1.776 billion fund created to compensate victims of government overreach.
He labeled the fund a “slush fund” and vowed to impose a full tax on any beneficiary, a move that drew sharp rebuke from the Treasury Department.
Bessent’s terse retort bypassed policy details and struck a raw nerve, revealing the deep rift between the executive branches over how to handle funds intended for redress.
UMVA can exclusively confirm that the secretary’s brief statement has already become a talking point in political circles, sparking debate over the limits of state intervention in federal compensation programs.
The episode underscores the volatile nature of contemporary politics, where a single line can set off a cascade of reactions across the nation.
