Can a Despised Autocrat Consolidate Power?
Yesterday I wrote about Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, and made some unflattering observations about him. So it might be worth mentioning a new incident, reported by Politico. Apparently Bessent confronted Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency — a piece of work himself — at a fancy dinner, accusing Pulte of bad-mouthing him to the president: “Why the fuck are you talking to the president about me? Fuck you,” Bessent told Pulte. “I’m gonna punch you in your fucking face.