Besente · Full chronicle and history

According to a tweet posted by X user @__Inty__ on October 19, 2026, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said that after the two sides reached a diesel-related agreement, the U.S. side did not lift or ease any sanctions on Russia.

According to reports, in the relevant interview, in response to Ukrainian President Zelensky’s question about the possibility of the United States slowing down Starlink service speeds, Trump administration official Bessent explicitly denied it. Bessent said that President Trump himself had nothing to do with the matter, and that both Trump and Rubio have publicly stated that no one in the Trump administration ordered restrictions on Starlink services for Ukraine.

According to a tweet posted by @clashreport, Bessent publicly questioned NATO member states while discussing the situation in Ukraine. He pointed out that when Ukrainian President Zelensky requested assistance with Patriot missile systems, European NATO member states had ample stockpiles but did not actively provide them. He specifically singled out Germany to question its stance and actions on providing aid.

On October 18, 2026, in response to Ukrainian President Zelensky's earlier claim that intelligence sharing had been interrupted, Bessent said in his reply that Zelensky should be very careful when making such false statements. The incident reflects the public disagreements and diplomatic friction between the United States and Ukraine on the issue of intelligence cooperation.

According to X account @clashreport, Bessent noted in his comments that European countries are still funding Russia's war machine. He drew a comparison, saying that the United States imports about $4 billion worth of Russian products each year, of which $1.8 billion is fertilizer, while European countries' imports are more than ten times that of the United States.

According to a tweet posted by the account @clashreport, Bessent said when discussing the Russia issue that during President Trump's tenure, sanctions were imposed on Russia's two largest energy companies, calling the move a devastating blow to Russia's energy industry, and used this to argue that Trump had taken a tough stance on sanctions against Russia.

According to a tweet posted by @clashreport, Bessent publicly stated that he had requested European allies in the spring to join the U.S. in imposing secondary tariffs on China and India, but was rejected by the European side. Bessent questioned this, arguing that the U.S. should not bear the associated economic burden alone.

In a statement submitted to the World Bank, Bessent welcomed the bank's gradual phase-out of sovereign lending to countries that have met graduation criteria, such as China.

On October 3, US Treasury Secretary Bessent said in an interview that Kimi sent some People's Liberation Army weapons development programs back to Anthropic, calling the matter a big help, and believing that this made China realize that AI is a very powerful technology.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said on a social media platform on October 1 that, due to the U.S. military blockade and mounting economic pressure on the Iranian regime, Tehran failed to export any crude oil in September.

On September 24, the South China Morning Post cited sources as saying a small group of Chinese corporate executives arrived in Washington on their own, separate from Xi Jinping's official delegation, and as of publication it remained unclear whether they would be invited to the state banquet Trump is hosting for Xi; the matter is partly tied to the September 23 negotiations between Bessent and He Lifeng.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent announced that the US and China have agreed to extend the trade truce, originally set to expire on November 10, to January 10, 2027, continuing negotiations on issues such as tariffs, fentanyl, soybeans, and rare earths.

Bessent stated that the US and China have agreed to extend the Busan agreement arrangement from its original date of November 10 to January 10, an extension of two months.

Bessent stated that he and He Lifeng continue to hold substantive talks on U.S.-China economic relations, discussing the continuation of the Busan arrangements and exploring new agreement proposals.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that due to the implementation of severe sanctions, the vast majority of Iran's international flights have been grounded and its aviation ties severed, further isolating Tehran's economy.

September 23, US Treasury Secretary Bessent said the US and China have agreed to extend the trade ceasefire until January 10, 2027.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Trade Representative Katherine Tai held a day of talks with a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, paving the way for an upcoming summit between the leaders of the US and China.

He Lifeng first went to the United States to negotiate with US Treasury Secretary Bessent; the talks are expected to continue until September 23, and Xi Jinping will depart for the United States thereafter.

Bessent stated on CNBC on September 21 that China's financial regulatory authorities have contacted the United States regarding the enforcement of Iran sanctions across aviation, maritime shipping, cryptocurrency, and gold sectors.

On September 20, 2026, US Treasury Secretary Bessent and US Trade Representative Greer held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York. The two sides discussed issues including trade, artificial intelligence safety, and rare earth supplies, preparing for the Trump-Xi summit to be held next week.

On September 20, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent held a meeting in New York with Chinese State Council Vice Premier He Lifeng on trade and artificial intelligence issues. Bessent called it a very successful engagement and said the two sides agreed to hold another round of talks, but did not disclose further details.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent confirmed at a congressional hearing on September 15 that he will hold talks with Chinese State Council Vice Premier He Lifeng this weekend, which is seen as the last high-level economic and trade negotiation window before the Trump-Xi Jinping meeting. The Financial Times reported that the two sides will consult in New York on Sunday, with topics including competition in artificial intelligence, export restrictions on rare earths, and extending the US-China trade truce arrangement that expires in November.

On September 15, 2026, Bessent stated at a House hearing that there is no need for large-scale regulation, legislation, or bans on AI; these companies can handle it themselves, and if they don't want to continue, they can halt their progress at any time.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated on September 15 that the Iran issue and financial ties between China and Iran will be topics of discussion at the Trump-Xi summit on September 24, and he will consult with He Lifeng this weekend.

US Treasury Department official Bessent pointed out that not a single barrel of Iranian crude oil has been shipped out since August 25.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bastian said the talks with China on artificial intelligence, trade and other issues were very successful, and both sides agreed to establish an AI dialogue mechanism and plan to meet again.

Bessent said that he had substantive discussions with He Lifen in Washington on US‑China economic relations, preparing for a meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping, with topics including protecting American workers, farmers and businesses and safeguarding economic and national security interests.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent said he and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng agreed to extend the trade war truce, originally set to expire on November 10, by two months to January 10, 2027.

Bessent said he had met with Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, on the Iran issue, and stated that the Chinese side agreed that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open.

During the G20 finance ministers' meeting, Bessent held talks with the Russian finance minister, discussing the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions issues.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the United States plans to roll out new banking sanctions and that a bank could be sanctioned soon; he hopes China will cooperate in pressuring Iran.

Bessent said that the U.S. plans to sanction another bank involved in Iran transactions during that week, and said he would discuss the relevant issues with Chinese officials.

Within 24 hours of Bessent announcing an open-ended buyback, the 30-year US Treasury yield erased the previous day's decline and reclaimed 5.25%, while the Dow dropped 700 points intraday — the market slapping the Treasury Department's buyback policy in the face at the speed of light.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent said that the United States and Iran have a chance to reach a deal that day or the next to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore more normal passage.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent confirmed that the Trump administration has taken foreign exchange market action to help stabilize the yen, and emphasized the importance of economic security and national security.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent confirmed that the US and Japan have taken coordinated foreign exchange intervention measures and will continue to maintain communication with the Japanese Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Japan.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Trade Representative Greer held a video call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, urging Beijing to fully honor its rare earth and agricultural product commitments.

According to a Bloomberg report, US Treasury Secretary Bessent said the US government will conduct a comprehensive review of whether open-source AI models from China are stealing US intellectual property, claiming that watermarks left by US large language models have been found in some Chinese models, that further investigations will be launched in the coming days or weeks, and that sanctions and requirements for users to disclose such use are under consideration. US Trade Representative Greer also said he is investigating whether China is promoting AI development through unfair means.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent said President Trump will use his trip to Beijing to exchange views on the US-Iran conflict, accusing China of buying 90% of Iran's energy and financing state sponsors of terrorism.

A 26-year-old man was intercepted and arrested by police while attempting to attack then-Cabinet nominee Bessent at the Capitol with a homemade incendiary device and a knife; he was sentenced to 73 months in prison on August 18, 2026.