Bessent calls for former Treasury secretary Larry Summers to apologize for criticism of megabill

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday called for former Clinton administration Treasury Secretary Larry Summers to apologize for his recent criticism of the "One Big Beautiful Bill."

Summers criticized the legislation on Sunday in an interview with ABC News, where he compared the deaths from the recent flooding in Texas to what some estimates predict will result from the health care cuts in the bill.

Bessent claimed the comparison was "cheap" and accused Summers of giving a callous interview that demonstrated why Harvard University forced the former Treasury secretary to step down as its leader.

"Today, former Treasury Secretary [Summers] showed why he was forced to step down as president of Harvard: a lack of humanity and judgment," he wrote in a thread on X. "In a shockingly callous interview on [ABC], Professor Summers proclaimed that the One Big, Beautiful Bill will cause '2,000 days of death like we’ve seen in Texas this weekend.'

"Using the horrifying situation in Texas for cheap political gain is unfathomable," he continued. "He has turned a human tragedy into a political cudgel. Such remarks are feckless and deeply offensive. Professor Summers should immediately issue a public apology for his toxic language."

Bessent urged other places that are affiliated with the former official to join the call for a public apology. The call comes as the fatalities in Texas due to heavy flooding rise to over 80. Dozens are still missing.

Summers on Sunday also slammed the legislation more broadly, claiming it would not be a strong bill for the economy and would hurt over 100,000 people. 

“There is no economist anywhere, without a strong political agenda, who is saying that this bill is a positive for the economy," Summers said. "The overwhelming view is that it is probably going to make the economy worse."

“Think about it this way,” he continued. “How long can the world’s greatest debtor remain the world’s greatest power? And this is piling more debt onto the economy than any piece of tax legislation in dollar terms that we have ever had.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.