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A private dinner for Trump officials in Washington turned chaotic when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened to physically assault housing finance chief Bill Pulte.
File photos of Scott Bessent/Bill Pulte (AP)
A major clash erupted while dozens of administration officials and advisers to US President Donald Trump had gathered for a private dinner at the Executive Branch – a private members club that opened in the Georgetown neighbourhood of Washington, DC.
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According to Politico, the clash happened on August 3, 2025, when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, at one point, threatened to punch top housing finance official Bill Pulte “in the f****ng face”.
The gathering was hosted to celebrate the birthday party of MAGA-friendly podcaster Chamath Palihapitiya.
The guest list included Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, Medicare and Medicaid chief Mehmet Oz, plus venture capitalist David Sacks, Palihapitiya’s partner on the “All In” podcast.
As the cocktail hour began, Bessent lashed out at Pulte in an expletive-laden diatribe, the report claimed.
The drama unfolded as the Treasury secretary had heard from several people that the Federal Housing Finance Agency director had been badmouthing him to Trump, the report claimed.
“Why the f*** are you talking to the President about me? F*** you,” Bessent told Pulte.
“I’m gonna punch you in your f****ng face,” Bessent added.
As the situation turned tense, club co-owner and financier Omeed Malik intervened. However, Bessent insisted that Pulte be “kicked out”.
“It’s either me or him,” Bessent told the club co-owner.
“You tell me who’s getting the f*** out of here, or we could go outside,” Bessent said at the scene.
“To do what?” asked Pulte. “To talk?”
“No,” Bessent replied. “I’m going to f****ng beat your a**.”
Seeking to de-escalate the situation, Malik separated the men, walking Bessent to another part of the club to calm down, per the report.
During the seated dinner, Bessent and Pulte were placed on opposite ends of the table, and the party went off without further incident.
In May this year, Donald Trump had announced that Bessent, Lutnick and Pulte would collaborate on a plan to privatise Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the federal housing finance organs Pulte oversees.
In recent weeks, Pulte has taken the lead on an initiative that could put as much as 15 per cent of Fannie and Freddie on the public markets, the report added.
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
September 09, 2025, 08:43 IST
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