According to reports from multiple major U.S. media outlets, internal conflicts within the upper echelons of the U.S. government continue to spill into the public sphere. During a congressional hearing, Treasury Secretary Bessent personally confirmed that he had engaged in a heated altercation with the newly appointed Acting Director of National Intelligence, Pulte—an incident in which he also verbally threatened his counterpart.

On the 3rd of this month (local time), the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing during which a lawmaker directly questioned Bessent, seeking to verify rumors that he had threatened to physically assault Pulte last year.
When confronted with this public inquiry, Bessent did not deny the fact of the conflict; instead, he merely nuanced his phrasing, admitting that he had indeed vowed to “teach [Pulte] a lesson.”

This dispute stems from an internal event held last year, attended by numerous high-ranking government officials and presidential advisors.
Upon learning that Pulte had disparaged him in front of President Trump, Bessent erupted in an on-the-spot argument and unleashed a torrent of harsh words. In the aftermath, Bessent attempted to downplay the controversy, likening the infighting among top officials to a locker-room spat between teammates and claiming that, despite their differences, they could still work together.

The core of the current controversy lies in President Trump’s latest personnel appointment.
On the 2nd of this month, Trump officially announced the appointment of Pulte as the Acting Director of National Intelligence. While Pulte is a staunch supporter of Trump, he notably lacks professional experience in the fields of national security and intelligence.

This appointment has sparked collective skepticism from both major U.S. political parties, becoming a focal point of contention within Congress.
Not only have the majority of Republican lawmakers withheld their endorsement, but Democratic lawmakers have also expressed widespread opposition. Lawmakers have pointed out that Pulte lacks the necessary qualifications to effectively oversee and manage the U.S. national intelligence apparatus; furthermore, they noted that he has previously utilized his official authority to level accusations against Trump’s political rivals, rendering his appointment highly controversial.

As of now, the White House has yet to issue any public response regarding this internal strife among top officials or the controversy surrounding the personnel appointment, thereby further underscoring the chaotic divisions currently plaguing the U.S. political landscape.