Key Takeaways Scott Bessent, Donald Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, was an economic advisor during his campaign and championed an agenda of tariffs, lower taxes, and deregulation.Bessent is a hedge fund manager who previously worked for liberal billionaire George Soros.

Donald Trump has nominated Scott Bessent to lead the US Treasury Department, one of the most influential roles in government with wide oversight of tax policy, public debt, international finance and sanctions.

The hedge fund investor predicted last year that President-elect Donald J. Trump’s political fortunes were on the rise.