Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies on the Treasury Department's fiscal year 2027 budget request before the Senate Finance Committee hearing on June 2, 2026, in Washington D.C. Bessent fielded questions from both parties about a controversial settlement between President Trump and the IRS. [Samuel Corum/Sipa Reuters] Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) of slandering the Treasury Department with claims related to Jeffrey Epstein and of trying to divert attention from his own son.

The New York Post reported that Bessent made the allegations while appearing before the Senate Finance Committee, where Wyden is the top Democrat.

"Sen. Wyden has maliciously slandered the Treasury Department in a desperate attempt to cover up his own son’s meeting with Jeffrey Epstein to solicit investments," Bessent said in his opening statement.

Bessent was referring to an April 2016 incident in which Adam Wyden attended a meeting at Epstein's Manhattan mansion to seek investment for his hedge fund, ACM Capital Management.

Wyden, who has been investigating Epstein's finances, pushed back during the hearing.

"We want to get to the facts of these transactions, and that's why we're here," Wyden said.

Bessent retorted, "We want to know what Adam Wyden and Jeffrey Epstein talked about," and asked, "Did your son go begging Jeffrey Epstein for money and talk about pole dancing?"

The exchange came as Democratic lawmakers continued to press for the release of Epstein's financial records and other documents related to the deceased sex offender.

Pam Bondi, former Attorney General, appeared before House lawmakers on Friday who are reviewing the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein records release.

Bondi declined to answer questions about whether President Trump had intervened in the release process.

Bondi stated in her opening remarks that Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general who is now acting attorney general, oversaw the release of the Epstein records under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump last year.

US NNP=Reporter Sung Ku Hong / Special to NNP info@newsandpost.com