Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Discusses Confrontation with Bill Pulte

During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on June 3, 2026, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed a report regarding a confrontation with Bill Pulte, Donald Trump's housing finance chief. When asked by Senator Thom Tillis if he had threatened to punch Pulte, Bessent clarified, "No sir, I actually said I was going to kick his a**." Bessent mentioned that the incident occurred last summer and likened it to sports teams having disagreements but still performing well. The questioning stemmed from a Politico report detailing the exchange at a private dinner in September 2025, where Bessent reportedly confronted Pulte about discussing him with the president. The hearing also touched on Trump's recent announcement of Pulte's appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence, a decision that raised concerns among some Republican senators regarding Pulte's lack of experience in intelligence and national security. Senator Mitch McConnell and others expressed their reservations about Pulte's qualifications for the role.