WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, got into an explosive argument last week — with threats of physical violence involved, The Post has confirmed.
Two sources say that Bessent, 63, threatened to beat up Pulte, 37, for allegedly trash-talking him to President Trump.
At one point, the Treasury chief lashed out at Pulte, saying: “Why the f— are you talking to the president about me? F— you.”
“I’m gonna punch you in your f—ing face,” added Bessent.
Pulte’s response was not immediately clear, but the grudge match — first reported by Politico — is just the latest outbreak of discontent inside the administration.
Pulte and Bessent have some overlapping duties — including plans to privatize the federal mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — but have also expressed differing opinions about what to do about the Federal Reserve.
The tale of the tape for Scott Bessent vs. Bill Pulte:
NICKNAME
Bessent: The Tariff Sheriff
Pulte: The House Hunter
AGE
Bessent: 63
Pulte: 37
TITLE
Bessent: Treasury Secretary
Pulte: Federal Housing Finance Agency Director
COLLEGE
Bessent: Yale University
Pulte: Northwestern University
FAMOUS RELATIVE
Bessent: Abscam Rep. John Jenrette (uncle)
Pulte: Real estate developer William J. Pulte (grandfather)
PREVIOUS OPPONENT
Bessent: Elon Musk
Pulte: Lisa Cook
SPECIAL MOVE
Bessent: The Secondary Sanction
Pulte: The Criminal Referral
Bessent has reportedly advised the president not to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whereas Pulte has been on a crusade to clear out central bank members — most recently referring Board of Governors member Lisa Cook to the Justice Department over allegations of mortgage fraud.
“The general consensus in the White House is that Scott would have, in fact, beat that little midget’s ass and that everyone would have paid big money to watch it happen,” one Trump insider told The Post’s Charlie Gasparino of the dispute.
“But Trump loved the mortgage fraud stuff. He should remove him from FHFA and make him mortgage fraud czar to get him out of the White House.”
The spat broke out at the Executive Branch social club — co-founded by banker Omeed Malik and first son Donald Trump Jr.
The swanky members-only lodge in DC’s Georgetown neighborhood took in $500,000 from each founding member earlier this year and was requesting a $150,000 initiation fee and annual dues of $15,000 starting this month for new applicants.
The Pulte row was not the first time Bessent has threatened to get physical with another Trump official.
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In April, the Treasury secretary reportedly hit billionaire Elon Musk after the then-Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader body-checked Bessent outside the Oval Office.
The two got into a spat over dueling candidates to serve as the acting head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Musk was pushing for IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, who later got the job, whereas Bessent’s choice was his deputy, Michael Faulkender.
As the two began to exit, Bessent confronted Musk and began labeling him a “fraud,” according to former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, before the shouting match got ugly and the Tesla and Space X CEO lowered his shoulder at the Treasury secretary “like a rugby player.”
Bessent later told Congress that claims he called Musk a fraud were “fake news,” though he did not address whether contact was made.
Faulkender later served just five months as head of the IRS after Bessent ousted Shapley to install his pick.
Last week, the DOJ launched a criminal probe into Cook for allegedly claiming two separate properties in Michigan and Atlanta were both her principal residences.
Pulte made the allegations after uncovering the loan documents and posting his findings on X.
The FHFA head has also reportedly pushed Trump to consider ousting Powell for refusing to cut interest rates.
Bessent has also called for the Fed to “change course” — and is currently interviewing candidates to replace Powell when his term ends in May.
Reps for the White House and Treasury did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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