U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaking onstage during The New York Times DealBook Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Dec. 03. Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images for The New York Times Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was grilled by New York Times Dealbook author Andrew Ross Sorkin Wednesday about President Trump's apparent effort to persuade Paramount to green light Rush Hour 4, a buddy comedy sequel from director Brett Ratner. Trump reportedly told Larry Ellison about his desire to see the film get made, and Paramount, run by his son David Ellison, has since agreed to distribute it. Sorkin, interviewing Bessent at his annual Dealbook Summit in New York, framed the ask as part of a larger trend of companies with business before the government seeking to placate the president. Related Stories TV Olivia Nuzzi Breaks Silence on RFK Scandal: "I Did Something Wrong" Business Warner Bros. Empire Hangs in the Balance As Second Round Bids Arrive "There is news in the past week that [Ellison] has greenlit a film called Rush Hour 4 by Brett Ratner, because the president effectively suggested, or said, this is one of my favorite films, and I want to do this for Brett," Sorkin said. "And so now [Ellison] is doing this and people look at this and say that the president is trying to push him, and they are trying to placate the president." So what does Bessent think of that chatter? "Not much," he said, adding that "a transaction of that size" is irrelevant to how the government operates. "The president could have said, I think it will be a great movie," Bessent added. "I have no idea, I wasn't there." Things did get tense, however, with Sorkin pressing Bessent on companies making decisions not necessarily for business reasons, but to help get deals across. "Do you think it's appropriate for the President to be to be asking them to do something like that? Is it appropriate for a company to be doing something on the other end to placate the president?" Sorkin asked. "I don't know, the Obamas have a contract with Netflix, is that appropriate?" Bessent replied, with Sorkin noting that they signed that deal after leaving office. "These things are very complicated... if you want to start pulling on every thread, then let's start pulling at every thread on where Chuck Schumer's children work, let's pull on every thread of where his staffers work," Bessent said, before ripping into the Times, saying that it is no longer the paper of record, and that he doesn't rea it anymore. He does, however, still watch Sorkin on CNBC, where he co-hosts Squawk Box. David Ellison was scheduled to be interviewed at the summit, but had to back out because he is "negotiating as we speak" for Warner Bros. Discovery, Sorkin told the crowd of power players. Instead, Sorking said that David agreed to return next year, joined onstage by his father. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Petra Volpe 'Late Shift': Watch Peter Sarsgaard Interview Star Leonie Benesch and Writer-Director Petra Volpe About the Swiss Oscar Hopeful Spirit Awards Spirit Awards Nominations: 'Peter Hujar's Day' Leads Film Nominees With Five Nods Sope Dirisu Sopé Dìrísù is a Dad Struggling to Connect in 'My Father's Shadow' (Exclusive Trailer) Mel Gibson 'Hunting Season' Review: A Magnetic Mel Gibson Makes This Formulaic Actioner Watchable Women in Entertainment 2025 Gwyneth Gets Why You're Obsessed united kingdom Ben Radcliffe Is Booked, Busy and Having a Blast Petra Volpe 'Late Shift': Watch Peter Sarsgaard Interview Star Leonie Benesch and Writer-Director Petra Volpe About the Swiss Oscar Hopeful Spirit Awards Spirit Awards Nominations: 'Peter Hujar's Day' Leads Film Nominees With Five Nods Sope Dirisu Sopé Dìrísù is a Dad Struggling to Connect in 'My Father's Shadow' (Exclusive Trailer) Mel Gibson 'Hunting Season' Review: A Magnetic Mel Gibson Makes This Formulaic Actioner Watchable Women in Entertainment 2025 Gwyneth Gets Why You're Obsessed united kingdom Ben Radcliffe Is Booked, Busy and Having a Blast