Politics can be a messy game. Even people on the same side can get into nasty confrontations.
And a fight broke out in the Trump admin after violent threats were hurled by this top official.
Tensions boiled over in President Trump’s administration last week when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte erupted into a heated confrontation that nearly turned physical.
According to the New York Post, sources confirm the shouting match escalated to threats of violence, exposing raw nerves among top officials fighting to shape America’s economic future.
The altercation stemmed from Bessent’s fury over Pulte allegedly badmouthing him directly to the president. At 63, Bessent didn’t hold back, unleashing a tirade against the 37-year-old Pulte. Two insiders revealed the Treasury chief’s aggressive stance, accusing Pulte of undermining him behind closed doors.
In the heat of the moment, Bessent blasted Pulte with sharp words: “Why the f— are you talking to the president about me? F— you.”
He didn’t stop there, ramping up the intimidation: “I’m gonna punch you in your f—ing face.”
Pulte’s immediate comeback remains unknown, but the exchange left witnesses stunned as it unfolded in a high-end setting away from the White House corridors.
Politico first broke the story of this blowup, which went down at the Executive Branch social club nestled in DC’s upscale Georgetown area.
Its co-founders include banker Omeed Malik and the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., making it a hub for elite networking.
This isn’t Bessent’s first brush with physical threats against fellow Trump officials. Back in April, he reportedly clashed violently with billionaire Elon Musk, who was then heading the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.
The two heavyweights squared off outside the Oval Office over who should lead the IRS on an acting basis. Musk championed whistleblower Gary Shapley, who eventually landed the role, while Bessent pushed his own deputy, Michael Faulkender.
As they left the meeting, Bessent confronted Musk, branding him a “fraud” according to former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. The verbal jab quickly spiraled into chaos when the Tesla and SpaceX mogul allegedly body-checked Bessent like a rugby tackler.
Bessent later dismissed the fraud accusation as “fake news” during congressional testimony, though he stayed silent on whether any physical contact actually happened.
In the end, Faulkender only held the IRS top spot for five months after Bessent maneuvered to boot Shapley and slot in his preferred choice, highlighting the cutthroat jockeying for influence.
Bessent and Pulte share key responsibilities, like spearheading efforts to hand over federal mortgage behemoths Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to private hands.
Yet their visions clash on personnel picks within the Trump team. Bessent has urged the president to keep Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in place, resisting calls for a swift purge.
Pulte, on the other hand, has waged a relentless campaign to sweep out Fed officials, notably targeting Board of Governors member Lisa Cook in his latest push.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
