Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disclosed on Thursday that he faced an assassination attempt merely two hours after taking his oath. He attributed this incident to “left-wing activists,” emphasizing that it illustrates a tangible rise in violent political extremism from that side of the spectrum.
Bessent addressed this matter during a State Department meeting focused on the resurgence of political terrorism, countering those who doubt the Trump administration’s emphasis on threats from far-left extremist groups.
“I want to remind everyone here, along with the media, that just two hours after being sworn in, I became a target of an assassination attempt by a disturbed left-wing activist,” Bessent stated. “If you choose to dismiss this as fiction, I encourage you to be present at the sentencing this August.”
The individual in question seems to be Ryan Michael English, a 24-year-old from Massachusetts, who admitted guilt in March for attempting to assassinate a prospective Treasury secretary nominee at the U.S. Capitol.
As per the Justice Department, English arrived in Washington on January 27, 2025, carrying a folding knife and two makeshift Molotov cocktails. He allegedly approached a Capitol Police officer and requested to turn himself in.
Prosecutors revealed that English confessed to intending to kill cabinet nominees slated for Senate confirmation votes or to set fire to a Washington think tank. A note found with him reportedly contained the statement, “This is terrible, but I can’t do anything while the Nazis kill my sisters.”
English pleaded guilty to unlawful possession and transfer of a firearm and possessing a dangerous weapon on Capitol property. His sentencing is scheduled for August 14.
Prior to his role as Treasury secretary, Bessent spent several years at Soros Fund Management, where he served as chief investment officer from 2011 to 2015, having previously led the firm’s London branch. After leaving, he launched Key Square Capital Management with the support of George Soros, a billionaire investor and frequent target of criticism from Trump and other conservatives.
Bessent’s remarks were made during a gathering of officials from around 65 countries, aimed at fostering international collaboration against what the Trump administration identifies as a resurgence of violent far-left political terrorism.
