OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
7:30 PM – Wednesday, September 9, 2026
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a prime-time keynote address at the Republican Party’s historic first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, describing the upcoming elections as an important choice between economic renewal and financial ruin.
Making history as the first sitting U.S. Treasury Secretary to speak at a national political convention in roughly half a century, Bessent took the stage immediately preceding President Donald Trump to rally party faithful around the administration’s core economic vision.
The cabinet secretary launched an offense against the previous Biden administration’s fiscal track record, emphasizing that under President Biden, the country had drifted to the “brink of ruin,” and warned voters against returning to an era defined by elevated inflation, unfettered immigration and unfavorable global trade dynamics.
“In 15 short months, we’ve gone from autopen to overdrive. From a president who couldn’t stay awake to a president who never sleeps,” he declared.
Addressing a energized crowd of party leadership, congressional candidates, and grassroots supporters, Bessent also championed the administration’s signature policy victories, noting the sweeping provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
He laid out a three-pillared economic strategy designed to guarantee long-term American dominance, centering on industrial and technological leadership, robust domestic investment and systemic economic “preparedness.”
Throughout his remarks, the Treasury chief placed particular emphasis on maintaining the nation’s competitive edge in strategic sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, reminding the boisterous crowd that domestic industrial capacity and economic sovereignty remain tied to national security.
The prime-time appearance arrived at a critical geopolitical and domestic juncture, highlighting the Treasury Department’s central role in advancing the Trump administration’s policy goals.
On the international front, Bessent explained how economic statecraft and targeted sanctions continue to serve as important tools to confront adversarial nations, specifically referencing measures aimed at squeezing foreign adversaries — such as Iran, Russia and China.
Domestically, the address ultimately served as a cornerstone of the GOP’s midterm messaging platform, pitching conservative economic governance — defined by tax cuts, reduced regulatory burdens and “America-first” domestic production — as the solution to public concerns over market volatility.
Closing his speech, Bessent laid out a clear choice for working families heading to the polls.
Urging the conservative electorate to deliver a strong mandate in November, he emphasized that maintaining a Republican-led Congress is essential to locking in the Trump administration’s tax and trade policies and preventing a return to the structural vulnerabilities of the past.
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