In an uncomfortable role for him, CNBC's Joe Kernen pressed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to defend Trump's press ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico because even this reliable Trump supporter was taken aback by the latest attack on the First Amendment.

"One of the things that sets the United States apart, I think, is that our leaders have to answer difficult questions, sometimes even hostile questions, and we see the alternative,Kernen said. "How is this going to play out with this ban and what do you think of it?"

Bessent did not expect to be questioned on this issue since Kernen and Squawk Box, CNBC's signature program is a comfortable outlet for him to obfuscate, exaggerate and lie about the state of the US economy under Trump's leadership.

"So, Joe, I've been traveling. I don't know much about it," Bessent deflected. "I wasn't in the Oval."

Wow, he used the Sgt. Schultz defense.

Kernen pressed a bit more and Scott claimed the public deserves good reporting and claimed media biases. Trump is clamping down on any reporting that doesn't adhere to MAGA propaganda so that's not bias, that's accurate reporting.

Kernen even pushed back against that.

KERNEN: Wait a minute, stop, stop, the presidents, all the different presidents.

And I will grant you that I think maybe Republican presidents historically have had maybe a tougher time with mainstream media, but you've got Fox News that has been all over Democratic presidents.

I just don't think this is something that will last in this country.

We don't do this in this country.

That was the most animated I've seen Kernen respond to something hideous Trump did.

Bessent then rambled on about how the press only cares about itself.

This was the worst I've seen Bessent on CNBC by far.

Keep it up, CNBC.