DC dinner turns chaotic as CODEPINK activists corner Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: 'Blood on your hands'

Scott Bessent

DC dinner turns chaotic as CODEPINK activists corner Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: 'Blood on your hands'

A quiet dinner in a D.C. restaurant erupted into a tense exchange when CODEPINK protesters targeted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Louis Casiano Fox News

Published

December 18, 2025 3:59pm EST

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confronted by protesters at DC restaurant

Members of Code Pink accused Bessent of economic war crimes over U.S. sanctions. (Credit: Code Pink)

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was confronted while having dinner Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., by protesters who accused him of economic war crimes over sanctions enacted by the Trump administration.

Bessent was dining at Reveler’s Hour when Olivia DiNucci, a member of CODEPINK, a left-wing activist group, mockingly toasted him in front of patrons.

"We want to make an announcement! We have a special guest here, and we want to make a toast for the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent!" DiNucci said after striking her glass to get everyone's attention. "So let's give it up for the man who is eating in peace as people starve across the world based on his sanctions, which are economic warfare."

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in two images

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was confronted by CODEPINK protesters while eating dinner Wednesday at a Washington D.C., restaurant. (Getty Images; CODEPINK)

"He oversees the deaths of 600,000 people due to sanctions annually," she added. "How many people are going to die because of the blood that's on your hands?"

A chorus of boos could be heard from patrons, though it wasn't clear at whom they were directing their derision.

Bessent, who was seated in a corner of the restaurant, responded.

"You are ignorant, and you have no idea how ignorant you are," he shot back while holding up a glass in his own fake toast.

The group cited a report by The Lancet, a medical journal, that said unilateral sanctions kill around 564,000 people annually due to severe food insecurity, disease, and lack of water and electricity.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed The New York Times for publishing a "fake" story about Trump's health during the outlet's "DealBook Summit" on Wednesday. (Andrew Harnik/Getty)

CODEPINK said Bessent confronted restaurant employees and stormed out.

The incident happened just before President Donald Trump delivered a nationwide televised address in which he highlighted his administration's accomplishments.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Treasury Department.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced additional crackdowns in Minnesota as the department investigates sweeping fraud claims. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

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Bessent has gotten into heated confrontations before. In September, he reportedly threatened to punch top housing finance official Bill Pulte "in the f****** face" during a private dinner attended by dozens of administration officials and close advisers to Trump.

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.

DC dinner turns chaotic as CODEPINK activists corner Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: 'Blood on your hands'