Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disregarded current reviews of heated arguments inside President Donald Trump’s administration, saying disputes have been part of the traditional push-and-pull of policymaking.
“Treasury secretaries courting again to Alexander Hamilton have a historical past of dueling,” Bessent joked Tuesday to CNBC’s “Squawk Field.” “I feel with the President’s staff, I turned out a bit higher for the Treasury’s aspect this time.”
“With President Trump’s staff, identical to any the good sports activities staff, you may argue within the locker room, however we get out within the discipline and do the most effective for the President and the American folks daily,” he mentioned.
Bessent’s remarks come after current tales detailed a sequence of fiery confrontations between him and different Trump officers, together with Federal Housing Finance Company chief Invoice Pulte, over the route of financial coverage and affect in Trump’s orbit.
Tempers flared throughout conferences this summer season the place Bessent reportedly demanded to know why Pulte was bad-mouthing him to Trump, threatening to punch Pulte “in the —-ing face.“
There was additionally different incidents of elevated tensions internally on the White Home. In April, Bessent and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who on the time headed the Division of Authorities Effectivity, got into a heated fight exterior of the Oval Workplace concerning the Inner Income Service.
A hedge fund veteran, Bessent turned Treasury Secretary in January. Bessent, who has been main commerce negotiations for the administration, mentioned Tuesday a commerce take care of China is probably going earlier than the November deadline.
