Bessent Breaks Silence On Report He Threatened To Punch Bill Pulte: ‘Treasury Secretaries Have a History of Dueling’

Zachary Leeman Sep 16th, 2025, 11:22 am

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made light of reports that he threatened to punch housing finance chief Bill Pulte in the face, joking that Treasury secretaries have a long history of dueling.

Bessent joined CNBC’s Squawk Box on Tuesday where Joe Kernen asked him about the reported confrontation. Kernen noted he would not “mess” with Bessent, saying he stands about a “head” taller than him. Kernen joked that the height difference makes him hate pictures with Bessent and makes the Trump official seem fairly intimidating.

Bessent referenced a deadly duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1804 that ended i

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