Scott Bessent
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was the target of a politically motivated assassination plot that Ryan Michael English, 25, later abandoned, leading a federal judge to sentence English to more than six years in prison Screenshot From The White House/Youtube

A transgender woman who told police 'I was going to kill Scott Bessent' has been jailed for more than six years after travelling to Washington with homemade explosives to target the newly sworn-in US Treasury Secretary.

Ryan Michael English drove from Massachusetts to the US Capitol carrying incendiary devices and a knife, but surrendered to officers before carrying out the planned attack.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, including carrying an explosive device on the grounds of the US Capitol. Court records show English explicitly confirmed the intent behind the weapons, telling officers directly: 'I was going to kill Scott Bessent.'

The attempted assault occurred on 27 January 2025, about two hours after Bessent was sworn into his cabinet role.

The Justice Department reported that English approached a Capitol Police officer near the South Door and said: 'I'd like to turn myself in.' English then admitted carrying a folding knife alongside two homemade explosives.

Shifting Targets Before Plot on Treasury Secretary

Investigators discovered two Molotov cocktails fashioned from 50-millilitre Absolut vodka bottles and grey cloth.

Additional explosive materials were found inside a vehicle belonging to English, who resides in South Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Court filings reveal English initially planned to attack House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, or alternatively burn down the Heritage Foundation think tank.

This focus later shifted to Bessent after English stopped at a local library and watched a television broadcast.

The defendant saw a clip of the newly confirmed Treasury secretary discussing the federal minimum wage. English told police that Bessent delivered his remarks with a smile, a detail that provoked immediate anger.

Inspiration for the violence partially stemmed from Luigi Mangione, another figure involved in recent high-profile violence. Yet it was the reality of Mangione facing severe legal consequences that ultimately caused English to hesitate.

Prosecutors noted that English viewed throwing one's life away for a minute of vengeance as a foolish endeavour. The security presence at the Capitol, and the risk that innocent bystanders might be harmed, also contributed to dropping the plan.

Prosecutors Push for Lengthy Prison Term

During the sentencing hearing before US District Judge Rudolph Contreras, prosecutors argued for a 121-month prison term. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro dismissed arguments that the defendant deserved leniency due to mental health struggles or trauma experienced as a transgender woman.

She maintained that the justice system relies on public officials being able to serve free from intimidation. Anyone who threatens government figures, Pirro stated in official filings, will face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.

The judge ultimately handed down a 73-month prison sentence, equivalent to six years and one month. This penalty will be followed by three years of supervised release.

A handwritten note recovered by police provided further detail on the motives behind the aborted attack. English wrote an apology for plotting and lying, while also claiming an inability to remain idle 'while nazis kill my sisters.' The defendant told officers that if the attack failed, the backup plan was to commit suicide on the steps of the White House.

Bessent is an openly gay man married to a former prosecutor. The case concludes with a lengthy prison term for English and the closure of the threat against the Treasury Secretary.

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