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Bessent sets record straight on Trump team dinner clash that nearly turned into a throwdown: ‘Kick his a–’
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed his past clash with Bill Pulte, President Donald Trump’s newly tapped acting intelligence chief, after senators pressed him Wednesday over reports that he once threatened to punch him at a dinner party.
«Did you actually tell Pulte you were going to punch them in the face,» asked North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis on Wednesday, referencing reports from 2025 that Bessent threatened Pulte during a dinner.
«No sir, I actually said I was going to kick his ass,» the secretary quipped.
The exchange during the Treasury’s budget hearing renewed scrutiny of earlier reports detailing a clash between the two men, coming just days after Trump announced that the Federal Housing Finance Agency director would take on one of the government’s most sensitive national security responsibilities.
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Treasury Secretary Bessent downplayed his reported feud with Bill Pulte, saying he called to congratulate him on his new role leading intelligence. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
Reports at the time found that Bessent allegedly accused Pulte of undermining him with the president and threatened to punch him in the face while at a dinner in September. But as senators pressed him about Pulte’s elevation to acting director, Bessent downplayed the flared tempers and revealed that he called Tuesday to congratulate him.
«Many teams squabble in the locker room and go out in the field,» responded Bessent when asked if he was comfortable with Pulte’s appointment.
When asked at the time about the alleged dinner quarrel, Bessent commented in September that it is not unprecedented to have Cabinet members to have physical altercations.
«Treasury secretaries dating back to Alexander Hamilton have a history of dueling,» Bessent said in a CNBC interview.
DC DINNER TURNS CHAOTIC AS CODEPINK ACTIVISTS CORNER TREASURY SECRETARY SCOTT BESSENT: ‘BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS’
«Many teams squabble in the locker room and go out in the field,» responded Bessent. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump tapped Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte after former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced she would step down last month to support her husband following his diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.
TRUMP NAMES BILL PULTE ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 9, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
Pulte will remain FHFA director and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while serving in the new post.
Bessent also made headlines in April 2025 for an alleged face-to-face with SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk.
The two men reportedly entered into a shouting match while in the West Wing over who would lead the IRS, Axios reported at the time.
Democratic lawmakers have expressed their disagreement with the Pulte pick, calling his qualifications into question.
«Trump’s appointments of Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence appears to have been a hastily considered backroom deal based on loyalty to Trump, not the security of our nation,» Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
«What exactly are Bill Pulte qualifications? Does he have a national security background? The answer would be no. Does he have a military background? The answer would be no. Does he have a law enforcement background? The answer would be no,» said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
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He added, «What qualifies Bill Pulte to hold one of the most important national security positions for the United States of America? One thing, apparently, that Bill Pulte is willing to say anything or do anything that Donald Trump demands, no matter how reckless, vengeful or unlawful Donald Trump’s demand may be.»
Fox News Digital reached out to the Treasury Department and DNI for comment.
white house, national security, scott bessent, senate elections
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Trump warns ‘downtrodden’ blue states after socialist candidates sweep NYC congressional primaries
Socialist candidates score victories in New York Democratic primary races
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrates a ‘new chapter’ for Democrats after socialist candidates secured significant victories in three New York primary races, boosting the progressive wing. Rachel Bovard warns that this ‘growing movement,’ with members advocating extreme views such as abolishing the Senate and Supreme Court, is moving from the fringe to become the Democratic Party’s establishment.
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President Donald Trump blasted the far-left socialist sweep of multiple New York City congressional districts and offer a stark warning to «downtrodden» blue states.
«Many Communists running in badly failing Blue States. The votes seem to have them doing quite well against each other. The bad news is that history has conclusively shown that the downtrodden States that they will soon be running will ONLY GET WORSE. MAGA!» he wrote on Truth Social.
The three candidates, all endorsed by radical Mayor Zohran Mamdani, won their primary elections and have virtually unimpeded paths to Congress in their deep blue districts. They are Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York’s 13th Congressional District, State Rep. Claire Valdez in New York’s 7th Congressional District and Brad Lander in New York’s 10th Congressional District.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump watches the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Avila Chevalier and Valdez are members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which not too long ago was dismissed as a fringe element of the left, but is now insurgent in the Democrat Party.
FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS
Lander is a progressive Democrat and a former DSA member. He left the party in 2023 after its response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israeli concertgoers that killed 1,200 people. DSA insists that Israel’s response to that attack constitutes a «genocide,» and has made support for Gaza against Israel a central tenet of its platform.
Avila Chevalier ousted fellow progressive and five-term incumbent 71-year-old Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., — the first-ever former illegal alien ever to serve in Congress. She ran an even further left campaign than her rival on a platform that includes abolishing ICE, eliminating all deportations and socialized healthcare.
Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier speaks during a Get Out the Vote rally at King’s Theater in New York City on June 18, 2026. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned alongside her and other candidates ahead of the Democratic primary and early voting. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Avila Chevalier was dogged on the campaign trail by past social media posts where she advocated for seizure of private property by the government, called former President Joe Biden a «rapist,» cursed former Vice President Kamala Harris and demanded the abolishment of police.
MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST CANDIDATE STORMS OUT OF LIVE INTERVIEW WHEN CONFRONTED WITH OLD SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
She also called America a «f—–g disgrace,» and bragged about using the American flag as a napkin to wipe her hands.
Still, she beat Espaillat by three and a half points.
Valdez, a similarly positioned candidate who currently serves in the New York State Assembly representing the 37th District, won her primary by a landslide, and will likely fill the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., come January.
New York Assemblymember Claire Valdez and members of the Stop The Williams Pipeline Coalition delivered over 11,000 public comments to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Manhattan office, urging rejection of the Williams NESE pipeline. (Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images))
HASAN PIKER CELEBRATES AMERICA BEING ‘CLOSER THAN EVER’ TO SOCIALISM AS HE BACKS NYC CANDIDATES
Trump hammered home an earlier post with a second in the early morning hours Wednesday.
«America the Beautiful will NEVER be a Communist Country!!!» he said at 2:38 a.m. on his own social media platform.
When Lander handily defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., Trump let loose on the congressman, a longtime foe who served as lead counsel in a 2019 impeachment attempt against him.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks in support of Brad Lander, Democratic candidate for Congress in New York’s 10th Congressional District, in Carroll Park in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn on June 14, 2026. (Shuran Huang/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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«Weak and pathetic Congressman Dan Goldman just lost, BIG! I guess people didn’t like him illegally targeting President TRUMP. In any event, this jerk is finally GONE! President DJT» he said.
Wednesday morning, Trump sarcastically congratulated Mamdani’s wins and touted his own primary victories in another post on Truth.
«Mayor Mamdani pulled through 3 solid Communists, and has received loud and universal applause from the Fake News Media. Congratulations Mr. Mayor!» he wrote. «I went 16-0 last night, helping to elect wonderful American Patriots, and the Media doesn’t say a word.»
«Over the last two years, my endorsement has netted 259 Primary WINS, and almost no losses, with Zero media attention!!! FAKE NEWS.»
The White House declined to comment further.
democrats elections, congress, donald trump, zohran mamdani, socialism
INTERNACIONAL
Migrantes retornados a El Salvador recibieron formación con un enfoque que va más allá del empleo
El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador informó que concluyó un curso virtual de atención psicosocial para personas migrantes retornadas, dirigido a 49 beneficiarios de Santa Ana, San Miguel y San Salvador.
La iniciativa fue desarrollada por la Cancillería junto con la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM) y el Instituto Diplomático Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero.
De acuerdo con la Cancillería, la formación estuvo orientada a desarrollar capacidades para afrontar los desafíos asociados al retorno, con énfasis en resiliencia, autocuidado y adaptación a una nueva etapa de vida.
La actividad se realizó a través del Viceministerio de Diáspora y Movilidad Humana, en coordinación con la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones y el Instituto Diplomático Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero.
La rectora del Instituto Diplomático Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero, Luz Elena Núñez, explicó que el curso abordó temas como migración, experiencia migratoria, empoderamiento, capacidad de agencia, redes de apoyo y salud mental.
Según planteó, fortalecer competencias psicosociales resulta clave porque el acceso a redes de apoyo y a herramientas de cuidado de la salud mental incide en la manera en que las personas enfrentan los procesos de reintegración y otros desafíos de la vida.
La representante de la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones, Victoria Sundukova, señaló que este tipo de iniciativas reconocen la experiencia y los desafíos de las personas migrantes retornadas y les ofrecen herramientas para avanzar en su reintegración con mayor bienestar, confianza y dignidad.
Sundukova remarcó que la reintegración no se limita al empleo, el emprendimiento o el acceso a servicios. También, dijo, exige atender las dimensiones emocional, familiar y comunitaria por su efecto directo en el desarrollo integral de las personas.
En ese sentido, citó “la necesidad de redefinir metas, recuperar redes de apoyo o reconstruir la confianza en sí mismo y en el futuro”.
La participante Carla María Ramírez de Hernández describió el retorno como una experiencia que va más allá de volver al país de origen. Afirmó que implica reconstruir proyectos de vida y asumir nuevos desafíos.
“El retorno no es simplemente volver al país; es volver a empezar, y comenzar de nuevo requiere valentía. Este respaldo ha sido clave para mi proceso de reintegración, porque cuando se fortalecen la mente y el corazón, y al mismo tiempo se generan oportunidades concretas para emprender y producir, la reintegración se convierte en un proceso verdaderamente integral”, manifestó.
La viceministra de Diáspora y Movilidad Humana, Patricia Nathaly Godínez, afirmó que la iniciativa forma parte de la aplicación de la Ley Especial de Beneficios y Protección para la Diáspora y Personas en Movilidad Humana. Según explicó, esa norma reconoce a las personas migrantes retornadas como sujetas de derechos y fija la responsabilidad del Estado de promover acciones para garantizar su protección, atención y reintegración integral.
La funcionaria sostuvo que los procesos migratorios suelen estar atravesados por experiencias complejas con efectos emocionales. En ese marco, señaló: “Los procesos migratorios suelen estar marcados por experiencias complejas que pueden generar impactos emocionales significativos. Por ello, es indispensable promover espacios que permitan fortalecer la resiliencia, el autoconocimiento, la gestión emocional y la confianza en las propias capacidades”.
La viceministra atribuyó ese resultado al trabajo conjunto entre el Viceministerio de Diáspora y Movilidad Humana, la OIM y el Instituto Diplomático Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero. Afirmó que esa articulación expresa un compromiso compartido para fortalecer capacidades en esta población.
corresponsal:Desde San Salvador, El Salvador
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