Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged Wednesday that he threatened to “kick ass” during a heated confrontation last year, while firmly denying reports that he threatened to punch the now-acting Director of National Intelligence “in the face.”
The unusual exchange emerged during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, where Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) pressed Bessent about reports surrounding a confrontation between the two Trump administration officials during the summer of 2025.
According to Bessent, one key detail in the widely circulated account was inaccurate.
Seijah Drake was born in Boston, MA, where she developed a penchant for writing early on and a passion for politics in college. After college she worked briefly for a conservative media in New York before relocating to the Greater D.C. Area to pursue a career in political marketing. She now resides in the free state of Florida.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine requiring special daily focus, American Liberty News (ALN) – in collaboration with the Center for American Defense Studies (CADS) is providing our readers the daily RUSSIA WAR BRIEF:
Russian armored column stalled for days outside Kyiv. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entered its second week on Thursday an apparent tactical failure so far, with its main assault force stalled for days on a highway north of Kyiv and other advances halted at the outskirts of cities it is bombing into wastelands.
Lavrov says Russia will continue Ukraine war till ‘the end.’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday he believed some foreign leaders were preparing for war against Russia and that Moscow would press on with its military operation in Ukraine until “the end.”
UKRAINE DEFENSE
Intense fighting continues in Ukraine. Ukrainian defense officials released a video claiming to show a deadly strike on a Russian military convoy, while fighting rages around the country.
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says defense lines holding against Russian attacks. Ukraine’s defense lines were holding against the Russian attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his latest video on Thursday, adding there had been no respite in Moscow’s shelling of Ukraine since midnight.
US AND NATO RESPONSE
US Air Force discusses tactics with Ukrainian Air Force as Russian advance stalls. U.S. and NATO intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets on NATO’s eastern flank are providing tactical information to the Ukrainian Air Force as new air defense assistance arrives inside Ukraine, though the U.S. is being careful to avoid steps that might be seen as escalatory, a defense official told Air Force Magazine.
New US sanctions target Russia’s multibillion-dollar defense sector. The Biden administration has taken further steps aimed at Russia’s defense industry, announcing sanctions Wednesday that could affect not only Russia, but countries that rely on its military hardware.
In one week of war, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may have veered history in a new direction. In one week of war, life within the boundaries of Ukraine has been upended, but the brutal assault Russian President Vladimir Putin launched last Thursday has also reverberated around the globe, steering history in a new direction and switching up 75 years of relations among some of the world’s most powerful and wealthy countries.
WAR CRIMES
War crimes investigation launched against Russia as Ukraine civilian deaths rise. The International Criminal Court prosecutor has launched an investigation that could target senior officials believed responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide amid a rising civilian death toll and widespread destruction of property during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
15,000 are sheltering in Kyiv’s subway. People sleep three or four to a mattress and plastic food bags litter the scene, while mothers search endlessly on their phones for news of the war.
Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
Pakistan has deployed 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets, and an air defense system to
At American Liberty News, we eschew the mainstream media’s tightly controlled narrative to provide our readers with real news, real insights, and the means to take action. We seek out insightful coverage – and partner with knowledgeable and experienced people and organizations to bring you the information and insight our readers demand.
We humbly seek to provide the tools and information necessary for our readers to decide for themselves what is true and what is right.
Russia War Brief – Ukraine Counterattacks and Strikes Russian Armored Column Stalled Outside Kyiv
Treasury Secretary Clarifies Threat Against Bill Pulte
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged Wednesday that he threatened to “kick ass” during a heated confrontation last year, while firmly denying reports that he threatened to punch the now-acting Director of National Intelligence “in the face.”
The unusual exchange emerged during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, where Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) pressed Bessent about reports surrounding a confrontation between the two Trump administration officials during the summer of 2025.
According to Bessent, one key detail in the widely circulated account was inaccurate.
While he denied threatening.
Seijah Drake
Seijah Drake was born in Boston, MA, where she developed a penchant for writing early on and a passion for politics in college. After college she worked briefly for a conservative media in New York before relocating to the Greater D.C. Area to pursue a career in political marketing. She now resides in the free state of Florida.
GOP-Led House Approves Iran War Powers Resolution In Rebuke To Trump
Six Thousand Complaints, 27 Investigations: The Federal Whistleblower Shield Exposed
California Tech CEO Arrested For Allegedly Supplying US Equipment To Iran’s Nuclear Program
Ohio Supreme Court Decision Could Affect Thousands Seeking Firearm Rights
Sponsored
Send a HeroBox Care Package Today!FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine requiring special daily focus, American Liberty News (ALN) – in collaboration with the Center for American Defense Studies (CADS) is providing our readers the daily RUSSIA WAR BRIEF:
This Special Daily Report is separate from PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING (PDB).
Get Your Best Daily Updates on Putin’s Unprovoked War with Ukraine here in One Report.
READ THE ‘RUSSIA WAR BRIEF’ BELOW
RUSSIAN INVASION
Russian troops seize first major city. Kherson falls under Moscow’s control as UN warns of ‘biggest refugee crisis this century’ amid mass exodus.
Ukraine jets hit Russian column; Russia has used thermobarics, Ukraine military says. Startling new claims in Russia’s war on Ukraine by the head of Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency.
Russian armored column stalled for days outside Kyiv. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entered its second week on Thursday an apparent tactical failure so far, with its main assault force stalled for days on a highway north of Kyiv and other advances halted at the outskirts of cities it is bombing into wastelands.
Lavrov says Russia will continue Ukraine war till ‘the end.’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday he believed some foreign leaders were preparing for war against Russia and that Moscow would press on with its military operation in Ukraine until “the end.”
UKRAINE DEFENSE
Intense fighting continues in Ukraine. Ukrainian defense officials released a video claiming to show a deadly strike on a Russian military convoy, while fighting rages around the country.
Ukraine is staging counterattacks against Russian troops, Ukrainian official says. Ukraine is able to launch counterattacks against invading Russian forces even as it defends itself, a military adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday.
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says defense lines holding against Russian attacks. Ukraine’s defense lines were holding against the Russian attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his latest video on Thursday, adding there had been no respite in Moscow’s shelling of Ukraine since midnight.
US AND NATO RESPONSE
US Air Force discusses tactics with Ukrainian Air Force as Russian advance stalls. U.S. and NATO intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets on NATO’s eastern flank are providing tactical information to the Ukrainian Air Force as new air defense assistance arrives inside Ukraine, though the U.S. is being careful to avoid steps that might be seen as escalatory, a defense official told Air Force Magazine.
New US sanctions target Russia’s multibillion-dollar defense sector. The Biden administration has taken further steps aimed at Russia’s defense industry, announcing sanctions Wednesday that could affect not only Russia, but countries that rely on its military hardware.
Most members of NATO are pouring weapons into Ukraine, risking a wider conflict with Russia. Brussels is proud to be providing military aid, but Moscow may see it as a dangerous intervention.
GLOBAL IMPACT
In one week of war, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may have veered history in a new direction. In one week of war, life within the boundaries of Ukraine has been upended, but the brutal assault Russian President Vladimir Putin launched last Thursday has also reverberated around the globe, steering history in a new direction and switching up 75 years of relations among some of the world’s most powerful and wealthy countries.
WAR CRIMES
War crimes investigation launched against Russia as Ukraine civilian deaths rise. The International Criminal Court prosecutor has launched an investigation that could target senior officials believed responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide amid a rising civilian death toll and widespread destruction of property during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
REFUGEES
Riding the ‘evacuation train’: In Kyiv, a scramble to get out as Russians close in. No one can say how long the trains will carry people out of Ukraine’s embattled capital. As explosions rattled the city, thousands headed to the central station.
15,000 are sheltering in Kyiv’s subway. People sleep three or four to a mattress and plastic food bags litter the scene, while mothers search endlessly on their phones for news of the war.
This city became a haven for people fleeing Kharkiv. But for how long? Dnipro is considered safe for now. But Russian soldiers have already advanced on Zaporizhia, about 50 miles south, and could head to Dnipro next.
END of PDB
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
Sponsored
Send a HeroBox Care Package Today!Paul Crespo
Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
Paul Crespo
Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
Treasury Secretary Clarifies Threat Against Bill Pulte
Search
follow us
subscribe
Trending Stories
Six Thousand Complaints, 27 Investigations: The Federal Whistleblower Shield Exposed
For the better part of a decade, theChina’s Fifth Column Doesn’t Require Troops Or Missiles
A jury is a modest institution. Twelve citizensDC Police Faked Crime Data And Now Congress Is Investigating
Congressional investigators are now looking into reports thatTrump’s AI Export Policy Faces Scrutiny As Chinese Military-Linked Labs Seek Access
PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB): China labs, with military links,Commentary
Six Thousand Complaints, 27 Investigations: The Federal Whistleblower Shield Exposed
China’s Fifth Column Doesn’t Require Troops Or Missiles
DC Police Faked Crime Data And Now Congress Is Investigating
Trump’s AI Export Policy Faces Scrutiny As Chinese Military-Linked Labs Seek Access
Security
Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Warship, St. Petersburg Oil Terminal During Economic Forum
Los Alamos Employee Found Dead As Investigators Continue Examining Other Disappearances
US Considers Expanding NATO Nuclear-Sharing Program Into Eastern Europe: Report
Trump Names Housing Finance Leader Bill Pulte As Acting DNI
Foreign Affairs
California Tech CEO Arrested For Allegedly Supplying US Equipment To Iran’s Nuclear Program
Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Warship, St. Petersburg Oil Terminal During Economic Forum
French Left-Wing Leader Claims France Was Never A White Or Christian Nation
US Considers Expanding NATO Nuclear-Sharing Program Into Eastern Europe: Report
Business & economics
Insider Trading Investigation Launched Into Ex-Congressman George Santos
No, Matt Walsh, 50,000 People In Lake Tahoe Aren’t Losing Power Because Of Data Centers
Treasury Department Proposes Commemorative $250 Bill Featuring Trump Portrait
Report: Billionaire Republican Businessman Flees America Amid Rising Taxes
heath & science
Los Alamos Employee Found Dead As Investigators Continue Examining Other Disappearances
How Ken Paxton Finally Brought Texas Children’s Hospital To Justice
Longtime Florida Democrat Frederica Wilson To Retire From Congress
Trump Team Reportedly Moving Ebola-Exposed Americans To Kenya
American Liberty Arms
GunTuber Legend Dugan Ashley Arrested By Feds: Free Speech Concerns, And What It Could Mean For Content Creators
NRA, FPC, SAF Sue Maryland Over Glock-Style Handgun Ban
Virginia Officials Rebel: Sheriffs And Prosecutors Refuse To Enforce New Gun Ban
Pakistan Deploys Thousands Of Troops, Jet Fighter Squadron To Saudi Arabia
At American Liberty News, we eschew the mainstream media’s tightly controlled narrative to provide our readers with real news, real insights, and the means to take action. We seek out insightful coverage – and partner with knowledgeable and experienced people and organizations to bring you the information and insight our readers demand.
We humbly seek to provide the tools and information necessary for our readers to decide for themselves what is true and what is right.
TOP TAGS
TOP CATEGORIES
FEATURES
American Liberty News ©2024
Evolution Digital Media
1900 Reston Metro Plz
Suite 600
Reston, VA 20190