Overview

• Bloomberg reported that Scott Bessent agreed in 2007 to designate homes in Bedford Hills, New York, and Provincetown, Massachusetts, as his principal residence on the same day.
• Mortgage experts and Bank of America told reporters there was no sign of fraud in Bessent’s filings, saying the bank did not rely on dual-occupancy pledges.
• Bessent’s lawyer said he signed the documents under a power of attorney and produced bank statements indicating both properties were treated as secondary residences, with Breitbart publishing materials reflecting those waivers.
• The reports surface as President Trump seeks to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook over similar paperwork; a federal appeals court this week kept her on the board while her lawsuit proceeds.
• The Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into Cook’s mortgages with grand jury subpoenas in Georgia and Michigan, and coverage notes key differences between the cases including who signed and the use of one lender versus two.