Trump's Finance Minister Bessent Allegedly Insulted Zelenskyy

Scott Bessent, identified as Donald Trump's finance minister, allegedly insulted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to reports from New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. Bessent reportedly advised Trump against a meeting with Zelenskyy, using derogatory language to describe the Ukrainian leader.

The British newspaper The Guardian reported on a section from the journalists' upcoming book, "Regime Change." According to the report, Bessent argued that Zelenskyy should not be allowed to enter the White House before signing an agreed-upon contract. Bessent allegedly referred to Zelenskyy as a "little fucker," adding, "He's cunning. He's like a child with special needs for the Europeans. And he acts like Mister Bean on crack."

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He's cunning. He's like a child with special needs for the Europeans. And he acts like Mister Bean on crack.

These alleged remarks followed a contentious meeting between Bessent and Zelenskyy in Kyiv. During this encounter, the U.S. finance minister reportedly pressured Zelenskyy to sign a mineral deal, but was unsuccessful. The book claims the two men argued for 45 minutes, with Bessent eventually asking Zelenskyy, "What the hell do you want to do?"

The incident occurred shortly after Bessent had taken office. The diplomatic fallout from the planned meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy on February 28, 2025, was significant. While the two leaders were supposed to sign a raw materials agreement in Washington, the meeting devolved into a heated exchange, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance reportedly levelling accusations at Zelenskyy before cameras. The Ukrainian president left Washington without signing the agreement, which was eventually finalized in late April.

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What the hell do you want to do?