U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin refuses to comment on differences with Trump administration officials

US Treasury Secretary Bessent refused to comment on reports of "a disagreement with another official in the Trump administration," and instead jokingly mentioned a famous duel involving a former US Treasury Secretary, and said that his department has "always had a tradition of conflicts." The US consumer news channel asked Bessent if there was a conflict with Bill Pulte, a senior official in charge of housing finance affairs in the Trump administration. Bessent responded, "Since Alexander Hamilton, US Treasury Secretaries have had a history of 'duels'." Earlier this month, according to the US political news website Politico, Pulte was reported to have insulted Bessent in front of the President, prompting Bessent to threaten to have a "duel" with Pulte.