Trump’s team wants an apology now.
The Trump administration is demanding an apology after former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers sparked outrage by comparing President Trump’s historic tax and spending package to the deadly floods in Texas.
In a sharp response late Sunday on X, current Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed Summers for what he called “inhumane and politically motivated” comments during a nationally televised interview.
“Larry Summers just reminded the country why he was removed from Harvard leadership — a total lack of compassion and sound judgment,” Bessent wrote.
Summers, a longtime critic of conservative policy, appeared on ABC’s This Week, where he cited a Yale Budget Lab estimate claiming that Trump’s legislation could result in 100,000 deaths over a decade due to healthcare spending reforms. He then compared that estimate to the devastating flooding in central Texas, which has already claimed close to 90 lives.
“That’s like living through 2,000 days of Texas-style tragedy,” Summers said, drawing backlash from both sides of the aisle.
Bessent called the comparison “appalling” and “beyond the pale.”
“To use a heartbreaking natural disaster—where families are grieving and communities are underwater—as a weapon to score cheap political points is shameful,” Bessent continued. “Professor Summers owes the American people an apology.”
The storm system that hit Texas on July 4—the same day President Trump signed the economic legislation into law—caused rivers to surge over 25 feet in less than two hours, washing out roads and homes, and leading to one of the worst flood disasters in the state’s history.
Despite the tragedy, Trump moved forward with his plan to slash bureaucratic spending, cut taxes for middle-class families, and revive the economy after years of stagnation under Biden-era policies.
Trump’s Pro-Growth Legislation vs. Democrat Doom Narratives
While Democrats frame the bill as reckless, supporters say it’s a long-overdue reset of Washington’s broken priorities. “The left is desperate to undermine anything Trump accomplishes—even if it helps working Americans,” said one policy analyst.
Summers didn’t stop with the health angle. He went on to question America’s financial future under Trump’s vision, saying, “How long can the world’s greatest debtor remain the world’s greatest power?”
Critics of Summers were quick to point out the irony: the U.S. debt exploded under liberal leadership, not conservative reform.
“This is the same old fear-mongering we’ve heard for decades,” Bessent said. “The difference is, now we have a president who’s willing to tackle the real problems instead of blaming others.”
Bessent: Fire Summers From Every Platform That Still Hosts Him
In his final post on X, Bessent urged universities and think tanks still tied to Summers to take action.
“If he won’t apologize, they should do what Harvard did—cut him loose. There’s no room in public life for this kind of toxic rhetoric.”
For millions of Americans—especially seniors, veterans, and working families—Trump’s tax package offers a chance at financial breathing room. And with inflation still biting and healthcare costs out of control, the message from conservatives is clear: it’s time for bold solutions, not divisive politics.