Key facts
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent advised Donald Trump not to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Bessent allegedly used derogatory terms for Zelenskyy, including "Mr Bean on crack."
- The claims are from the book "Regime Change" by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
- A February 2025 meeting between Trump, Vance, and Zelenskyy was reportedly contentious.
- Bessent is also reported to have compared Donald Trump to George Soros.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent advised Donald Trump against hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, reportedly calling him a "little fucker," a "special-needs child," and "Mr Bean on crack," according to the upcoming book "Regime Change" by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
The book alleges that Bessent strongly recommended Trump not allow Zelenskyy into the White House before signing a minerals deal drafted by Bessent. Despite concerns from Trump aides about a potential confrontation, Zelenskyy did attend a meeting on February 28, 2025. During this meeting, Trump and Senator JD Vance reportedly criticized Zelenskyy for not being grateful for aid and for not wearing a suit, which Vance perceived as impertinence.
Following the meeting, Bessent told Bloomberg that Zelenskyy had committed "one of the great diplomatic own goals" and expressed shock at his behavior. The book also recounts Bessent's difficult 45-minute negotiation with Zelenskyy in Kyiv over the minerals deal, which stalled due to disagreements over wording and Bessent's recent appointment. The deal's review was eventually handed to Usha Vance, wife of JD Vance, who found the Ukrainian edits "awful."
Further details from the book suggest Bessent also compared Donald Trump to George Soros, stating they were "the same animal."