WATCH: Bessent recalls telling acting intelligence director Pulte he was 'going to kick his ass'

By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-bessent-recalls-telling-acting-intelligence-director-pulte-he-was-going-to-kick-his-ass Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Bessent recalls telling acting intelligence director Pulte he was 'going to kick his ass' Politics Jun 3, 2026 6:02 PM EDT Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a Senate committee hearing Wednesday whether it was true that Bessent told federal housing regulator Bill Pulte that he would punch him in the face. Watch Bessent's remarks in our video player above. "No, sir. I actually said I was going to kick his ass," Bessent said. WATCH: What to know about Trump's controversial pick of Bill Pulte for acting spy chief "I share the emotion," Tillis said. Bessent said he made the comment in the summer of 2025. President Donald Trump named Pulte acting director of national intelligence this week. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. In September, Politico wrote an article detailing the clash between Bessent and Pulte, who is the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, during a private dinner. "Many teams have fights in the locker room and then go out and win for the team on the field," Bessent said in Wednesday's hearing. Tillis said he made it clear he would not support Pulte's nomination, which has drawn bipartisan criticism. It's unclear what intelligence background Pulte has, and congressional statute requires whomever is appointed to the position to have extensive national security expertise. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now