What makes a person justifiably recognizable as one of the worst of the year?
Some from years past selected by various media entities speak for themselves. Such individuals as former North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, former North Carolina State Representative Madison Cawthorn and former U.S Representative George Santos (R-NY) immediately come to mind.
In 2025 there are other well known individuals with Carolina roots that deserve at least a dishonorable mention, among them U.S. Representative Tim Moore (R-NC), U.S. Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) (and wannabe Palmetto State governor) and N.C. House of Representatives member Tricia Cotham (R).
None of them, however, hold a candle to seemingly self-loathing United States Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who is fifth in line to succession to the office of the president, and the first openly gay man to hold such a high federal level governmental position in American history.
A wealthy and openly gay man from South Carolina (his net worth is projected to be $600 million by Forbes), he was appointed to the position of U.S. Treasury Secretary by Donald Trump, and is known as the founder of Key Square Capital Management. He is also recognized for his background in finance, his devoted support for Trump and his role as the first openly gay cabinet member in a Republican administration. Bessent lives in Charleston with his husband, John Freeman, and their children.
For many, the appointment came as a surprise because Bessent has no previous experience in politics, focusing primarily on high dollar dealing. As a financier, he formerly worked for George Soros, making mad money beginning in 1992 through such efforts as the “Black Wednesday” bet. Working alongside Soros and Stanley Druckenmiller, Bessent helped orchestrate the legendary trade of shorting the British pound against the Deutsche Mark, a move that is said to have earned the firm over $1 billion in profit.
He repeated that success in 2013 by betting against the Japanese yen, which generated additional substantial profits. Another financial gamble that came about in the late 1990s reportedly made nearly $500 million in profits by betting on the convergence of European government bond yields as the Eurozone was forming.
Bessent’s personal connection to Donald Trump stems from a long-standing friendship with Trump’s sister-in-law, Blaine (previously married to Donald’s deceased brother Robert Trump). That relationship and Bessent’s significant financial support to the Trump campaign led him to become a key economic advisor who helped shape Trump’s vision before Bessent was nominated as Treasury Secretary in late 2024.
Clearly, Bessent’s appointment reeks of nepotism, along with wealth and white privilege. But those factors can be identified as opinion. Why is he so stupendously unpopular in the LGBTQ+ community?
Despite making history as the highest-ranking openly gay official in U.S. history, he has faced criticism regarding his silence on actions that undermine LGBTQ+ protections.
Key actions and issues cited by critics include:
• Proposal to remove LGBTQ+ protections from EEO forms: Bessent’s Treasury Department has proposed removing sexual orientation and gender identity from the list of protected categories on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint forms, a move that critics argue would make it harder to combat workplace discrimination.
• Silence on Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies: Despite being an influential figure, Bessent has been publicly silent on a number of the Trump administration’s actions targeting the LGBTQ+ community. These actions, which have been described as escalating attacks on gay and trans people, include a ban on transgender people serving in the armed forces, the elimination of funding for an LGBTQ+ suicide hotline, and pressure on corporations not to support Pride events.
• Collaboration with oppression: Some advocates and commentators view Bessent’s silence and actions as a form of collaboration with an administration that is actively rolling back LGBTQ+ rights and progressive policies. Critics argue that his presence in the cabinet provides political cover for the administration’s broader anti-LGBTQ+ agenda.
Bessent has stated that President Trump chose him for his skills and not for his sexuality, and that he is focused on his role as Treasury Secretary. However, his actions and lack of public opposition towards specific anti-LGBTQ+ measures have led many to consider his tenure as problematic for progressives.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has criticized Bessent’s economic policies, which is a key area of Democratic opposition to his role. Warren stated that a billionaire supporting tax cuts for other billionaires is not looking out for hardworking families. “Wall Street may be breathing a sigh of relief at Scott Bessent’s nomination, but working people see no help coming their way. Mr. Bessent’s expertise is helping rich investors make more money, not cutting costs for families squeezed by corporate profiteering.”
Democratic strategists and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have raised concerns about Bessent’s involvement in an administration with an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda. Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) offered a somewhat positive take on Bessent: “We need pro-equality LGBTQ+ nominees and LGBTQ+ people at all levels of government. The LGBTQ+ community is counting on openly LGBTQ+ nominees like Scott Bessent to step up for the community,” Robinson wrote. “HRC has a long history of working across the aisle to advance equality and this appointment may be an opportunity to continue.”
To date, Bessent enjoys his wealth and privilege and has expressed his gratitude and astonishment for advances in LGBTQ+ rights, although there has been no “stepping up” for our community.
Does being wealthy, white, cisgender and enjoying those advantages make him the worst queer of the year? No. But remaining silent in a position of power, when members of our community without such entitlement see their rights stripped away does.