Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stepped behind the White House briefing room podium today while Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remains on maternity leave, continuing what has turned into a notable rotation of administration officials filling in during her absence. As expected, Bessent brought a different style to the room, combining policy discussion with a willingness to spar directly with reporters and the coverage coming from major news outlets.
One of the more memorable exchanges came when CNN’s Kaitlan Collins raised questions about reports involving a proposed $250 banknote tied to the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration. The topic gained attention after a Washington Post article claimed Treasury Department officials had pushed the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to develop prototypes featuring President Donald Trump’s portrait.
Is a $250 bill featuring President Trump coming into circulation? 👀
"At Treasury, we prepare things in advance..." pic.twitter.com/W5jhWCrfOy
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 28, 2026
Bessent wasted little time dismissing the story.
“Who here's from The Post? Yeah, terribly written, terribly edited,” he said, drawing attention to what he viewed as flaws in the newspaper’s reporting.
The Washington Post article cited four current and former employees who claimed that Treasury political appointees Brandon Beach and Mike Brown repeatedly encouraged bureau staff to prepare concepts for a $250 note featuring Trump. According to the report, some employees expressed concerns because federal law permits only deceased individuals to appear on U.S. currency.
The article also referenced concerns raised by anonymous sources regarding internal discussions at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Among the allegations was that the bureau’s printing director was reassigned after voicing objections connected to the proposal. The report relied heavily on unnamed current and former employees who said they feared retaliation.
.@SecScottBessent just humiliated both CNN’s Kaitlan Collins AND The Washington Post in one go:
“Who here's from The Post? Yeah, terribly written, terribly edited" 🤣
"Because basically, what it says is that Treasury is following the law... pic.twitter.com/s6o1VY0GUn
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 28, 2026
Bessent’s response suggested he viewed the story as far less dramatic than the article portrayed. Rather than engaging in a lengthy defense, he focused on criticizing the reporting itself, arguing that the piece effectively demonstrated officials were operating within existing legal requirements rather than exposing wrongdoing.
The exchange became one of the sharper moments of the briefing. While questions about commemorative currency and administrative proposals may not normally dominate headlines, the story has generated attention because it touches on both the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration and ongoing media scrutiny of the Trump administration.