Trump’s Treasury Secretary is being dragged to the dirt for what he said about retirees owning homes

Trump’s Treasury Secretary is being dragged to the dirt for what he said about retirees owning homes

by

The Trump administration has developed a bit of a reputation for officials saying things out loud that should probably stay inside their heads. Once again, someone steps up to a mic and offers a comment that feels wildly disconnected from how most Americans actually live. Last week, there was Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who confidently suggested that people could feed themselves on just a $3 meal, as if grocery prices, food deserts, and inflation were all imaginary problems. And now, that long list of out-of-touch moments has a new entry…

@atrupar / News Nation / Via x.com

Earlier today, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is also a multimillionaire, casually implied that retirees owning 5, 10, or even 12 homes is a normal and relative experience.

A person in a red suit and tie speaks on stage at the World Economic Forum, gesturing with one hand. Background shows "FOX Business" logos

Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images

Bessent made the comment during a housing policy discussion with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo in Davos, Switzerland, when he talked about the administration protecting “mom and pop” home buyers from large investor groups, saying, “Someone, maybe your parents, for their retirement bought 5, 10, 12 houses.”

Two people on a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum with a text on buying multiple homes for retirement
@BulwarkOnline / Via x.com

Related: People have little sympathy for this Trump supporter who said he’d “happily” pay more for groceries … as long as he got the bill

As the Daily Beast points out, according to the US Census Bureau, only 65% ​​of Americans own a home, and only 4% own a second home. So yes, the idea that retirees typically own five or more homes is not based in reality.

A house with a "House For Sale" marked sign "Sold" in the front yard, indicating that it has been purchased

Ariel Skelley / Getty Images

An advertisement

An advertisement

Needless to say, the comment was out of step with how most people experience housing today:

Tweet says, "One doll for your kid, 12 houses for the boomers."

Related: Gavin Newsom’s Brutal New Nickname For Trump Is Going Viral, And It Might Be His Best One Yet

Tweet satirizes support for small real estate investors, mentioning Treasury Secretary's watch
Tweet asking about retirement readiness by asking homeownership of 5, 10, or 12 homes
@BetseyStevenson / Via x.com
A young man with a skeptical expression asks, "Wait, you guys are buying houses?" standing in front of a vehicle with a sign
@nagy_minaj/ Warner Bros. / Via x.com

An advertisement

An advertisement

Related: Greenlanders Created Their Own Version Of A MAGA Hat, And The Internet Is Absolutely Loving It

Tweet asks if parents are hoarding homes, not immigrants, causing high housing costs
Matthew Sitman's tweet jokingly questions the cost of owning multiple homes
@MatthewSitman / Via x.com
Tweet by @marthagimbel humorously demanding to know the locations of multiple houses belonging to her mother and stepmother
@marthagimbel / Via x.com
Ruben Gallego's tweet criticizing Scott Bessent's statement about buying 12 retirement homes as unrealistic
@RubenGallego / Via x.com

An advertisement

An advertisement

Related: Trump’s Face While Being Booed At The Commanders Game This Weekend Is Going Viral

Tweet from Call for Activism criticizing Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent's comment on home buying, highlighting the disconnect from public concern
@CalltoActivism/ / Via x.com
Tweet from @GovPressOffice: "Scott, people are trying to buy a house 1 - to live in it. Could the Trump Administration be more out of touch?"
@GovPressOffice / Via x.com

Well, there you have it. Nothing says “We care about the working class!” rather like implying that many people’s parents are quietly managing real estate portfolios. Well, let us know what you think about this latest gaffe in the comments below!!!

A man in a suit with a red tie sits in a business forum setting with "World Economic Forum" and "FOX Business" logos in the background

Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images

Also in the News: ‘Didn’t Get Married Until She Was 32’: Erika Kirk’s Comments on Marriage Seem to Have an Appearance Problem

Also in the News: Donald Trump Hates Most of Himself Photo Going Viral for Obvious Reasons

Also in the News: “What Trump Derangement Syndrome Really Look Like”: 34 of the Best Political Tweets of the Week

Read it on BuzzFeed.com

Leave a Comment