Topline
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confessed he tried to fight President Donald Trump’s pick for Acting Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte, last summer, but now supports him, despite multiple Republicans openly criticizing the controversial pick.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies during a Senate Finance Committee budget hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office building in Washington, DC, United States, on June 3, 2026. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Bessent admitted, “I actually said I was going to kick his a—” when Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., asked about the widely reported confrontation last summer during a congressional hearing Wednesday.
Tillis, who has slammed Trump’s decision to tap Pulte for the spy role, told Bessent, “good, I share the emotion.”
Tillis said he wouldn’t support Pulte for DNI, adding, “he lost me when he went after [former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome] Powell.”
Bessent, however, said he called to congratulate Pulte on his nomination and dismissed their feud: “many teams squabble in the locker room and go out on the field,” he said.
Trump announced Tuesday Pulte would replace Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard when she exits the role at the end of the month, though Pulte will continue serving as chair of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.
In addition to Tillis, multiple Republicans have expressed concerns about Pulte over both his lack of experience in intelligence and national security and his record of going after Trump’s enemies, including leading an effort to accuse multiple Trump foes of mortgage fraud.
Tangent
Bessent allegedly told Pulte “I’m gonna punch you in your f—-ing face” at a private gathering in Washington last summer after Bessent allegedly heard Pulte was badmouthing him to the president, Politico reported, citing multiple unnamed sources, including one eyewitness.
Crucial Quote
“He seems to be doing OK in the current role. I don’t believe he’s ever had a security clearance. He clearly has no experience in intelligence. He has no geopolitical experience, no international connections, the sorts of things you would look for,” Tillis said, adding that Pulte doesn’t have the 51 Senate votes he needs to be confirmed permanently for the role.
Key Background
Pulte has been a highly controversial figure in the Trump administration since he was appointed to lead the housing agency last year. He has referred New York Attorney General Letitia James, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to the Justice Department for alleged mortgage fraud, but only James has been formally charged, and her case was dismissed by a judge. Pulte has also gone after Powell over the renovation of the Federal Reserve headquarters—a chief attack point for Republicans—and backed Trump’s push for Powell to lower interest rates. Multiple figures on both sides of the aisle promptly criticized his appointment on Tuesday, perhaps most notably Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who told CNN, “we don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there.” Trump initially appointed Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas to replace Gabbard. It’s unclear why Trump then tapped Pulte instead.
What To Watch For
Senate Democrats are threatening to block the extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, set to expire June 12, if Trump doesn’t pull Pulte’s nomination, according to Punchbowl. Pulte would oversee the program, which allows the U.S. government to continue spying on people outside the U.S. without a warrant. Some Republicans are expected to oppose the extension, meaning it needs support from some Democrats to pass.