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Treasury Secretary Ripped After Offering Bonkers Explanation For Why Beef Prices Are So High

screenshot of Maria Bartiromo and Scott Bessent
Fox News

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tried to claim on Fox News that beef prices are high because South American immigrants are bringing their diseased cattle to the U.S.—and was instantly called out for his far-fetched excuse.

When asked to explain anything, members of the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump can be expected to present "alternative facts." Some Trump administration lies are half-truths, but others are absolute whoppers with no basis in reality.

Trump's Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, opted to go with a lie so absurd that people were amazed he and his Fox News interviewer were able to remain straight-faced.


Appearing on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Bessent was asked to address rising beef prices. Bartiromo played a video clip of Omaha Steaks CEO Nate Rempe claiming Americans could see ground beef costing $10 a pound.

When asked to explain why, Bessent went back to the Republican standby of blaming Democratic President Joe Biden, claiming beef prices were inherited by Trump despite prices skyrocketing under Trump. Then the Trump cabinet member went on a flight of fancy with his next excuse.

Bessent stated:

"And there’s also, because of the mass immigration, a disease that had been—we’ve been rid of in North America made its way up through South America, you know, as these migrants brought some of their cattle with them."

Trump's Treasury Secretary expected people watching Fox News to be stupid enough to believe migrants from beef-producing nations like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay were trekking from South America through the jungles with cattle.

The ridiculous comment drew the mockery it deserved.

In a thorough skewering, Fred Schott posted a few of the memes in the "Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism" Facebook group with a caption reflecting on some top Trump lies that his MAGA minions gobbled up and regurgitated online.

He highlighted the repeatedly disproven campaign lie about immigrants eating pets in Ohio and the denial of Trump's close association with registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, before mocking Bessent's ridiculous excuse for rising costs caused by Trump's losing trade wars and complete ignorance of how tariffs work.

Schott snarked:

"Look, I’m sure the Ohio folks were eating the cats and the dogs. And that Trump sent birthday cards only to Clinton’s friends, not his own."
"But folks from Argentina coming thousands of miles through rainforests, deserts, and cartel checkpoints with their cattle, and then smuggling cows across the border with them? Were they walking them through with their paid Cowboy Coyotes or did they ride them in?"
"Maybe they have cow catapults like we saw in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Yeah, that must be it. Perhaps Fox will show the cow-flying scene from the movie as proof of it. While CBS gets sued for editing, you know, reality."
"Ok, I did see a guy with three cows on the plane the other day. But it wasn’t like they were in coach."

You can see his post here:

Fred Schott/Facebook

People dunked on Bessent across social media.


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook


Antifa, Republicans, Democrats & Independents United Against Trumpism/Facebook

Trump campaigned on a promise to lower consumer prices, especially grocery prices.

Instead, Trump's ineptitude has driven prices up across the board, tanked the economy, and increased unemployment.

Economists and ranchers say the Trump administration’s tariffs on beef from Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, as well as rising costs for feed, farm equipment and machinery for domestic beef producers are solely to blame for rising beef prices.

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