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.
ANALYSIS – The war drums are beating louder. And there is a good chance Israel could obliterate Iran’s terror regime once and for all if the Islamist state attacks Israel directly.
This, despite Joe Biden’s compromised team of Iran-lovers which has given the mullahs billions of dollars in sanctions relief and unfrozen assets.
Multiple intelligence sources from the U.S. and its allies are saying that Iran is very close to launching a large-scale attack against the Jewish state. (RELATED: Israeli Troops Make Horrifying Discovery In Gaza)
Several questions come to mind, such as will Iran attack Israel directly from Iranian soil, or will it use its proxies such as Hezbollah to do the dirty work.
The bigger question though is, will Iran survive the Israeli response?
Tensions between the rival Mideast powers have turned white hot following the killings of Iranian generals, including the regional Quds Force commander, in what appears to have been an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
The site is known as an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) headquarters.
“When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil,” he said during a speech marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. “The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished, and it shall be.”
But Israel’s foreign minister said emphatically on Wednesday that his nation would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel.
Israel Katz, responded to Khamenei on X, posting in Hebrew, “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran.”
Iranian escalation has been particularly worrisome as the nation edges closer to producing nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile Daniel Markind writes in Forbes: “Israeli soldiers have had their leaves cancelled, embassies have closed, and the public has been on edge, but to this point no retaliatory strike has come.”
He adds, however that:
While it remains likely that Iran will attempt to strike Israel directly, and hard, Iran is in a terrible position. Indeed, if the Iranian response triggers full scale war with Israel, it is doubtful that the Islamic Republic can survive.
Since the Israeli strike, armed rebellion has broken out in Baluchistan Province in Iran’s east, near Pakistan. The local inhabitants there are ethnic Baluchis, not Persians. Iran is a polyglot country, with dozens of ethnicities coexisting uneasily.
Then this week the Iranian currency, the rial, crashed, losing 30% of its value to close at more than 600,000 rial/US dollar. Already weak, the rial crash means the Iranian people are even more impoverished than before, a difficult thing for the Mullahs who rule Iran to explain as their country is rich in oil reserves.
Markind continues:
A full-scale fight with Israel means Iran must convert to a war economy on an already weak base when the Iranian public is not on board. Despite being much smaller in population, Israel’s economy is larger than Iran’s. Israeli society is praying for no war with Iran, but should that come Israeli society will be united against a true existential threat. Iranian society will be completely divided.
Recall as well that Israel has nuclear weapons and Iran still does not. In the end, an Iranian strike on Israel that provokes an Israeli counterstrike on Iran, could be the beginning of the end of the Iranian terror regime.
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.
Will Iran Survive An Attack On Israel?
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.
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ANALYSIS – The war drums are beating louder. And there is a good chance Israel could obliterate Iran’s terror regime once and for all if the Islamist state attacks Israel directly.
This, despite Joe Biden’s compromised team of Iran-lovers which has given the mullahs billions of dollars in sanctions relief and unfrozen assets.
Multiple intelligence sources from the U.S. and its allies are saying that Iran is very close to launching a large-scale attack against the Jewish state. (RELATED: Israeli Troops Make Horrifying Discovery In Gaza)
Several questions come to mind, such as will Iran attack Israel directly from Iranian soil, or will it use its proxies such as Hezbollah to do the dirty work.
The bigger question though is, will Iran survive the Israeli response?
Tensions between the rival Mideast powers have turned white hot following the killings of Iranian generals, including the regional Quds Force commander, in what appears to have been an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
The site is known as an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) headquarters.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation for that strike. (RELATED: Welcome To The Heartland? Protesters In Midwest City Chant ‘Death To America’)
“When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil,” he said during a speech marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. “The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished, and it shall be.”
But Israel’s foreign minister said emphatically on Wednesday that his nation would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel.
Israel Katz, responded to Khamenei on X, posting in Hebrew, “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran.”
Iranian escalation has been particularly worrisome as the nation edges closer to producing nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile Daniel Markind writes in Forbes: “Israeli soldiers have had their leaves cancelled, embassies have closed, and the public has been on edge, but to this point no retaliatory strike has come.”
He adds, however that:
Markind continues:
Recall as well that Israel has nuclear weapons and Iran still does not. In the end, an Iranian strike on Israel that provokes an Israeli counterstrike on Iran, could be the beginning of the end of the Iranian terror regime.
READ NEXT: Pro-Hamas Seattle Teacher Caught By Conservative Activists
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
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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.
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