HISTORY FAIL: Democrat Attacking Bessent Gets Stumped By Simple Question

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) set out to torch Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over inflation and President Donald Trump’s military action against Iran during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing Thursday. Instead, she walked straight into an embarrassing trap unable to answer a basic question about American history.

As Chu accused Trump of launching an “illegal” war and rattled off price increases, Bessent calmly interupted, asking: “Congresswoman, who was the president during World War I?”

Chu blinked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted — apparently unaware that Woodrow Wilson, one of the most celebrated Democratic presidents in American history, led the country into that conflict. She tried to pivot: “Clearly you’re not answering my question.”

The impact of our failed education system just revealed itself in this congressional hearing, and it shows how incompetent people have become.

Bessent: “Who was the president during World War I?”

Rep. Chu: “I don’t know.”

This woman is a FEDERAL LEGISLATOR responsible for… pic.twitter.com/lXaTKAY3BJ

— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) June 4, 2026

Bessent was happy to answer — and then some. He explained that Wilson took the country into World War I on principle, even though Germany hadn’t directly attacked the United States. The parallel was obvious: sometimes a president makes decisions with an eye toward catastrophic future risks, not just today’s grocery bill.

“Americans’ financial situations would be devastated if Iran got a nuclear weapon and there was a permanent, permanent shutdown of the flow of energy out of the Middle East,” Bessent said. “I promise you that.”

Then he systematically dismantled Chu’s inflation narrative, number by number.

When Chu triumphantly declared beef was up 15%, tomatoes up 40%, and bread and milk up 8% and 5% — then twisted the knife with “I know that would be hard for a billionaire like you to imagine” — Bessent didn’t flinch.

“Food at home is up 2.5% since President Trump took office,” he replied. “I know that’s an inconvenient fact for you. You’re from California — maybe you care about avocado prices, maybe you want them higher — but they’re down 19%.” He landed the kill shot: “You don’t get to pick and choose. It is a basket, and the basket is up 2.5%. During the Biden era, it was 5%.”

When Chu insisted wages weren’t keeping up, Bessent was equally blunt: “I’m afraid you’re incorrect. We had real wage increases every month since President Trump took office except for the month of April. I know the facts don’t align with your narrative — you’re entitled to your opinion, not your own facts.”

Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) piled on afterward, reminding Democrats of their own inconvenient history: “In the four years of Joe Biden, we had a 25% increase in prices. No way did the wages keep up. The highest gas prices we’ve seen in the last decade were under Joe Biden — but my colleagues have gotten amnesia.”

The Democrat who doesn’t know who Woodrow Wilson was tried to lecture the Treasury Secretary on economic history.

It did not go well.