Scott Bessent threatened to punch a Trump administration rival “in the f—— face” during a foul-mouthed rant in front of stunned colleagues.
According to Politico, Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary is then said to have suggested to housing czar Bill Pulte that the pair go outside where Bessent could “f—— beat [his] a–.”
The remarkable tete-a-tete took place last Wednesday at a fancy private Georgetown dinner attended by several Cabinet members—including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and DNI Tulsi Gabbard—and MAGA high-rollers. The event took place at Executive Branch, the private members club co-founded by Donald Trump Jr., according to the report.
It is the second alleged violent incident involving Bessent and a colleague, after he was reported to have had an altercation with Elon Musk in the White House in April that turned physical.
The latest came after multiple people had told Bessent that Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) chief Pulte had been talking trash about him to Trump, according to Politico.
For reasons that remain unclear—neither of the men involved has commented—Bessent chose to tackle the situation in front of the 30 guests assembled to celebrate the birthday of MAGA-friendly “All In” podcaster, Chamath Palihapitiya.
“Why the f— are you talking to the president about me? F— you,” Bessent is said to have told Pulte. “I’m gonna punch you in your f—— face,” according to Politico.
One eyewitness and four others familiar with the exchange—all of whom were granted anonymity due to the “sensitivity” of the confrontation, according to Politico—said it was not clear who had initiated it. Pulte was said to have looked “stunned” as club co-owner Omeed Malik stepped in.
Bessent then pushed to have Pulte removed from the inaugural bash at Executive Branch—the $500,000-a-head, no-phones, no-press, invite-only hangout for Trumpworld’s moneyed elite—an eyewitness said.
“It’s either me or him,” Bessent told Malik. “You tell me who’s getting the f— out of here.” He added, “Or we could go outside.”
“To do what?” Pulte asked. “To talk?”
“No,” Bessent replied. “I’m going to f—— beat your a–.”
Malik is then reported to have separated the pair and walked Bessent away to cool off. At dinner, they were seated at opposite ends of the table, and the evening proceeded without further incident.
The blow-up suggests there is a growing turf war inside Trump’s economic and housing team.
Bessent, Lutnick, and Pulte are driving a White House push to crack open Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—potentially floating a government stake and setting up a blockbuster offering.
They’re also split over the Federal Reserve. Bessent has privately warned that ousting its chief, Jerome Powell, could rattle markets, while Pulte has egged Trump on—going as far as handing the president a draft firing letter, according to The Washington Post.
Despite appearing softly spoken, the bespectacled Bessent is developing a reputation as something of a hot-headed brawler.
In June, the White House tried to wave away the apparent physical scrap he had with Musk in the corridors of the White House—complete with a reported body-check and Musk later appearing with a shiner—as “healthy disagreements.”
Bessant later said with a twinkle in his eye, “I can 100 percent say I did not give him the black eye.”
The Daily Beast has sought comment from Bessent via the Treasury, Pulte via the FHFA, and the White House.
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