Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shut down Sen. Ron Wyden with a single mention of the Oregon Democrat’s son — and his documented relationship with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The exchange occurred during Bessent’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Wyden, the committee’s ranking Democrat, had been pressing Bessent on tax policy when the nominee turned the tables.
“Senator, I’d rather not discuss family members — unless you’d like me to bring up your son Adam’s meetings with Jeffrey Epstein.”
Wyden went silent. The hearing room tensed. The Democrat from Oregon offered no response.
Adam Wyden, a hedge fund manager, reportedly met with Epstein in 2016 in Manhattan to discuss business, according to flight logs and financial records reviewed by federal investigators. The meetings occurred years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor — and years before his 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges.
The younger Wyden runs ADW Capital Partners, a New York-based investment firm. Public records show Epstein held stakes in several financial entities with ties to Manhattan hedge funds during that period.
Bessent’s comment was brief but direct. Wyden, known for aggressive questioning of Republican nominees, moved on to his next line of inquiry without addressing the Epstein reference.
The Epstein network has been a recurring issue for powerful figures on both sides of the aisle. Flight logs, financial documents, and witness testimony have implicated dozens of elites in connection with the convicted sex offender.
Sen. Wyden’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Neither did Adam Wyden’s firm.
Bessent was ultimately confirmed by the Senate Finance Committee and is expected to be approved by the full Senate this week.
