Another White House showdown? Elon Musk & Marco Rubio's shouting match; Trump denies

A high-stakes White House meeting turned tense as Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in a heated confrontation over the billionaire’s aggressive push to slash government spending. Musk accused Rubio of not firing enough staff, while the latter laid out elaborate plans of reorganising the State Department.

According to a report by The New York Times, tensions had been brewing for weeks before they finally erupted in the Cabinet Room, with President Donald Trump silently watching volley of attacks exchanged between the Musk and Rubio. Musk who has been leading an aggressive cost-cutting initiative, took direct aim at Rubio, accusing him of dragging his feet on downsizing his department.

“You have fired nobody,” Musk scoffed, slamming the State Department as bloated and inefficient. Rubio, visibly irked, pushed back, reminding Musk that 1,500 officials had already taken buyouts. But the billionaire remained unimpressed, brushing off the claim as insufficient.

Trump’s intervention

As the verbal battle intensified, Trump, who had been listening with arms crossed, finally stepped in. “Marco’s doing a great job,” the president remarked. While Trump had initially championed Musk’s radical efficiency drive, he now appeared to advocate for a more measured approach.

In a striking move, Trump announced that Cabinet secretaries would take the lead on budget cuts, with Musk’s team relegated to an advisory role. This marked the first major indication that the president was willing to curb Musk’s influence in his administration.

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The meeting’s aftermath was immediate and far-reaching. Several Cabinet officials, who had privately voiced concerns over Musk’s hardline tactics, saw this as a turning point. Trump’s pivot suggested he was listening to their fears—particularly regarding mass layoffs that could alienate key voter bases, including veterans.

Shortly after the meeting, Trump took to social media, stating that future budget cuts would be made with a “scalpel, not a hatchet”—a clear rebuke of Musk’s relentless cost-cutting push.

Despite the fiery exchange, Musk later characterized the meeting as “productive.” However, insiders noted his frustration was palpable. The battle for control over the administration’s fiscal strategy is far from settled.

Trump denies feud

Despite reports of tension, Trump publicly downplayed the incident. “There was no clash. I was there. Elon gets along great with Marco, and they both are doing a fantastic job,” he stated during a press conference.

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