Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified this week that he told acting director of national intelligence Bill Pulte he was going to kick his ass.
The admission highlights internal friction within the administration regarding the management of government-sponsored enterprises, which can influence broader economic stability.
Speaking during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Bessent said a confrontation occurred in the summer of 2025 [1]. The exchange stemmed from strong disagreements over the management of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) [4].
During the testimony, which concerned the fiscal year 2027 budget [5], Bessent addressed the specific nature of the threat. He said, "I was going to kick his ass" [1]. Bessent said the comment did not involve a threat to punch Pulte in the face [2].
Other reports from the hearing confirm that Bessent denied any threat to punch Pulte during the altercation [3]. The secretary said the language used was specific to kicking, not punching.
Bessent said, "I told Bill Pulte I was going to kick his a**" [2]. The dispute reflects the high-tension environment surrounding the oversight of the U.S. housing finance system, a critical component of the national economy.
“"I was going to kick his ass."”
The admission of a physical threat between a cabinet member and a senior intelligence official suggests significant volatility in the administration's internal coordination. Because the conflict centered on the FHFA, it underscores a deep ideological or strategic divide over how to handle the U.S. government's role in the mortgage market, which could lead to inconsistent policy implementation.
