When It Comes to International Trade, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Is Extraordinarily Good at This One Thing

1 min readTo borrow a line from the late Christopher Hitchens, secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent is one of those people who believes himself a wit and is half-right. From The New York Times:The treasury secretary accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of backing away from the trade agreement with the United States for political purposes, noting that he had come to power on an anti-Trump agenda. Mr. Bessent added that while the United States was not at war with Canada, its second-largest trading partner, that country would not stand a chance if the tension became a fight. “How are we going to be at war with Canada?” Mr. Bessent said. “They’re going to take their two submarines from the Edmonton Mall and sic them on us?” He was alluding to a former attraction at the vast West Edmonton shopping emporium.I once rode the West Edmonton Mall submarines. I wouldn't crack wise about them if I were Bessent. And they've been closed since 2005However, he is on the front lines carrying out what apparently is all the administration has left in this trade dispute—the ability of these particular Americans to be colossal dicks to the rest of the world. They are very good at it, I'll give them that.