It was supposed to be a night of celebration and camaraderie among top officials in the Trump administration. Instead, a dinner at The Executive Branch Club in Washington, D.C., on September 3, 2025, erupted into a scene that insiders have described as "bonkers" and "unhinged," according to Politico and further reported by Newsmax and PinkNews. The event, meant to honor club co-founder and MAGA influencer Chamath Palihapitiya, quickly became the backdrop for a heated confrontation between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte.
As recounted by multiple sources, including Politico and Newsmax, the trouble began when 63-year-old Scott Bessent approached 37-year-old Bill Pulte with a pointed accusation: Pulte, Bessent charged, had been badmouthing him to President Donald Trump. The confrontation escalated rapidly, with Bessent reportedly yelling, "Why the fk are you talking to the president about me? Fk you. I’m gonna punch you in your fking face." This outburst, which took place in front of other administration officials and club guests, shocked many in attendance.
Attempts to defuse the situation fell flat. Omeed Malik, co-owner of The Executive Branch Club, stepped in to mediate, but Bessent was undeterred. According to PinkNews, Bessent insisted, "It’s either me or him. You tell me who’s getting the fk out of here." He then reportedly turned to Pulte and suggested, "Or we could go outside," making it clear he was ready to settle things physically.
Pulte, for his part, tried to de-escalate, asking if Bessent would be willing to speak calmly outside. Bessent refused, instead allegedly threatening, "I’m going to f**king beat your ass." At this point, staff and fellow officials intervened more forcefully, separating the two men and seating them on opposite ends of the dinner table. The dinner continued, but the tension in the room was palpable.
The incident, which occurred at the exclusive Georgetown club founded by Donald Trump Jr., quickly became the talk of Washington. Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty, covering the story on September 9, 2025, noted the media’s framing of the incident as a scandal but offered a different take: "We kind of like that people with a pulse are working in the White House once again," Finnerty said, adding a tongue-in-cheek comparison to previous administrations. Still, even Finnerty acknowledged the gravity of the confrontation and the speculation that alcohol or other factors may have played a role, quipping, "Maybe it was bad ice. We don’t know. I wasn’t there."
For the Trump administration, the episode is more than just a moment of hot-headedness. According to Politico, it points to deeper fissures within the president’s inner circle—especially among Bessent, Pulte, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. In May 2025, President Trump had announced that Bessent, Pulte, and Lutnick would collaborate on ambitious plans to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two federal housing finance giants. But insiders now say that a well-known feud between Lutnick and Bessent, combined with this latest outburst, has bred "significant distrust" among the trio.
One Trump insider summed up the mood to Politico in a single word: "bonkers." Another called the episode "unhinged." The spectacle of two senior officials nearly coming to blows at a high-profile dinner has prompted both public scrutiny and private hand-wringing. As PinkNews reported, Bessent’s behavior has put him "under fire"—not just for this incident, but for a pattern of confrontational conduct with other Trump administration figures.
Indeed, this is not the first time Bessent’s temper has made headlines. Back in April 2025, Bessent reportedly clashed with former Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk. According to The Atlantic, that confrontation also devolved into a shouting match, with Musk accusing Bessent of being a "Soros agent"—a reference to billionaire George Soros, often a target of right-wing conspiracy theories. The two men allegedly threatened to trade blows right in the West Wing. While no punches were thrown, the episode added to Bessent’s reputation as the administration’s new "John Wayne of the West Wing," as Newsmax put it.
Despite—or perhaps because of—his brash style, Bessent has remained in President Trump’s good graces. Newsmax’s Finnerty noted, "The president loves Scott Bessent," suggesting that Trump sees value in having combative, passionate personalities on his team. Others, however, worry that such volatility could undermine the administration’s effectiveness, especially as it tackles complex issues like housing finance reform.
The Executive Branch Club, the scene of the altercation, has become a kind of unofficial HQ for Trump-era powerbrokers. Founded by Donald Trump Jr. in Georgetown, the club is, as Finnerty described, "essentially a place where business can be done that’s not the White House." It’s a successor of sorts to the Trump Hotel in D.C., which served a similar function during Trump’s first term. The club’s exclusive dinners and events are meant to foster camaraderie and strategic conversation among administration officials, donors, and influencers. But as this latest incident shows, the club can also be a powder keg, where personal rivalries and professional tensions sometimes explode into public view.
For Bessent, the fallout from the September 3 dinner is still unfolding. Administration officials have so far declined to comment publicly on the specifics of the incident, and neither Bessent nor Pulte has issued a formal statement. The White House, for its part, appears to be hoping the story will fade from the headlines. But with Politico, Newsmax, and PinkNews all reporting on the altercation—and with whispers of further discord among Trump’s top economic officials—it’s unlikely the episode will be forgotten anytime soon.
As the Trump administration pushes ahead with its controversial agenda—including the possible privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—questions remain about whether its senior leaders can set aside personal animosities for the sake of policy progress. For now, one thing is clear: in the high-stakes, high-drama world of Washington power, even a dinner meant to honor an ally can turn into a battleground.
The events at The Executive Branch Club have become a symbol of both the intensity and the unpredictability that define the current administration—reminding observers that, in politics, the personal is never far from the professional.