Fact-Check Summary
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did publicly advocate for Senate Republicans to end the filibuster if Senate Democrats were to trigger another government shutdown on January 30. This stance is verifiable through his Washington Post op-ed and NBC News statements from November 2025. However, available evidence does not confirm that this statement was posted specifically on Truth Social, as the report claims.
Belief Alignment Analysis
The content maintains a focus on procedural rules and the functioning of democratic institutions, reflecting legitimate political advocacy rather than direct incitement or division. However, assigning one party with “blame” for shutdowns and urging a rules change under crisis may risk polarizing rhetoric and weaken the deliberative nature of the Senate. While the call to abolish the filibuster is grounded in policy debate, attribution of total responsibility to one party detracts from fair, inclusive discourse.
Opinion
While Scott Bessent’s position reflects a real and consequential debate over Senate procedure, and his arguments appear to be based on actual events, the framing could exaggerate partisan culpability for gridlock. Attributing the entirety of a shutdown to a single party is an oversimplification. Moreover, the inability to verify the claim’s specific attribution to Truth Social diminishes its factual precision.
TLDR
Scott Bessent did advocate for ending the filibuster if Democrats shut down the government again, but the claim that this statement was made on Truth Social is unverified. The substance of the claim is true, but its platform attribution is likely inaccurate. The rhetoric partially oversimplifies complex political dynamics.
Claim: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Truth Social that if Senate Democrats close the government again on January 30, Senate Republicans should immediately abrogate the filibuster.
Fact: Bessent made this statement in a Washington Post op-ed and on NBC’s Meet the Press, but there is no verified evidence he posted it on Truth Social.
Opinion: The claim accurately reflects Bessent’s view, but its stated source is likely incorrect. The rhetoric simplifies political responsibility for shutdowns.
TruthScore: 8
True: Bessent publicly called for ending the filibuster under the described condition, and he named Senate Democrats as the potential cause for a shutdown.
Hyperbole: The claim attributes sole responsibility for shutdowns to Senate Democrats, which is a partisan oversimplification and exaggerates blame.
Lies: The specific claim that this was posted on Truth Social is unverified and likely incorrect based on available evidence.