Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent called out another political rival to his face, at an exclusive club event with some of President Donald Trump‘s closest financial advisors.
The incident took place at the brand new exclusive Georgetown ‘Executive Branch’ club during a dinner to celebrate the club’s opening and also celebrate the birthday of All-In podcast co-host Chamath Palihapitiya.
‘Why the f**k are you talking to the president about me? F**k you,’ Bessent told Director of US Federal Housing FHFA Bill Pulte during the cocktail hour, according to a report from Politico’s Rachael Bade. ‘I’m gonna punch you in your f**king face.’
The clash drew immediate attention from people in the room and when club co-owner and financier Omeed Malik tried to soothe tensions, Bessent tried to get Pulte kicked out of the club.
‘It’s either me or him,’ Bessent said to Malik. ‘You tell me who’s getting the f**k out of here.’
‘Or,’ he added, ‘we could go outside.’
‘To do what?’ asked Pulte. ‘To talk?’
‘No,’ Bessent replied. ‘I’m going to f**king beat your ass.’
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent got into a verbal feud with Director of US Federal Housing FHFA Bill Pulte
Director of US Federal Housing FHFA Bill Pulte was dressed down by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a private club
The clash was ultimately resolved when Pulte and Bessent were separated from each other and put at opposite ends of the large table of guests for the dinner.
Bessent and Pulte did not respond to a Daily Mail request for comment.
Bessent and Pulte have clashed as they work together on the effort to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and also over the path forward for members of the Federal Reserve.
Pulte has advised Trump to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell while Bessent has advised more caution, citing his concern of the action roiling the markets.
Bessent continues to expand his influence on financial matters in the Trump administration, and pushing out anyone getting in his way.
The normally calm treasury secretary also clashed with DOGE advisor Elon Musk behind the scenes.
Bessent and Musk famously got into a shouting match in April over who had the authority to appoint as head of the IRS.
The clash even got physical, according to Trump’s former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon who told the Daily Mail that Musk physically ‘shoved’ 62-year-old Treasury Secretary after he was confronted over wild promises to save the administration ‘a trillion dollars‘.
But Bessent described the clash as part of their differences in strategy on managing conflicts.
‘The Silicon Valley mode of operation is move quickly and break things. I always say here at Treasury we move deliberately and fix things,’ he said.
He compared their differences to different fighting styles.
‘I think Elon’s probably fancies himself more of a Viking. I think I’m more of a ninja,’ he said.
