Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Joins the Conversation on ‘Rush Hour 4’ at DealBook Conference
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent shifted gears from discussing tariffs and interest rates to the topic of Rush Hour 4 during a conference this morning. He emphasized that the current administration’s relationship with corporate America does not represent a "new normal."
In a question-and-answer session at the New York Times’ DealBook conference, moderator Andrew Ross Sorkin addressed Paramount’s decision to produce Rush Hour 4. This comes as the company, led by David Ellison, is in talks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a significant merger. Sorkin also raised concerns regarding the interplay between the business sector and the Trump administration.
Sorkin referenced reports suggesting that Paramount’s action to greenlight Rush Hour 4 was influenced by the president’s personal endorsement of the film. “Is it appropriate for the President to be asking them to do something like that? Is it appropriate for a company to be doing something on the other end to placate the president?” Sorkin posed.
Originally, Sorkin had planned to direct these questions to David Ellison himself, who withdrew from the event at the last minute due to ongoing negotiations. Sorkin noted, “He is, as you have read in the headlines, in real time negotiating as we speak,” adding that Ellison’s father, Larry Ellison, is expected to join him at next year’s conference.
Bessent responded to the inquiries, attempting to deflect scrutiny by referencing the Obamas’ deal with Netflix. However, Sorkin interjected, indicating that the Netflix deal occurred after Barack Obama’s presidency, marking a distinct difference in context.
Bessent also mentioned Hunter Biden’s past association with a Ukrainian energy company and pointed out jobs held by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s children in tech firms that have avoided regulatory scrutiny. "If you want to start pulling at every thread," he remarked.
Bessent admitted he was unaware of the specifics regarding the president’s comments about filmmaker Brett Ratner, stating, “I wasn’t there.”
Sorkin pressed on, questioning whether the president should interject in such matters, noting that many companies seem to engage in actions that cater to the administration’s preferences. “Is this like a new normal?” he asked.
“There’s no new normal,” Bessent asserted. He further critiqued multiple stories in the New York Times, claiming they misrepresented the truth: “I actually don’t read the New York Times anymore,” he said.
In related corporate news, Warner Bros. Discovery recently received a second round of offers from a trio of bidders, including Paramount, Netflix, and Comcast, for all or part of the company.
