Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Bessent Get in Shouting Match, Heated Clash in Explosive White House Confrontation Overheard by Trump: Report
Tension reportedly erupted between two of President Trump’s top officials last week when Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent engaged in a heated argument within the White House corridors, according to sources familiar with the incident.
The confrontation, which centered on IRS reform strategies, is said to have escalated to the point where both men were face-to-face and arguing loudly enough to be heard by President Trump.
“Elon was shouting and rambling and Scott just wasn’t putting up with it,” revealed a source close to the White House.
The dispute reportedly stemmed from fundamentally different approaches to government reform, with Musk advocating for more aggressive measures.
A second White House source explained the philosophical divide: “Bessent has two mandates: reform and stabilize. Elon has one mandate: break things in the process of reform.”
Axios first reported that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was present during the exchange and appeared to align with Musk’s position, according to one source.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the incident by saying, “It’s no secret President Trump has put together a team of people who are incredibly passionate about the issues impacting our country.”
She added, “Disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process, and ultimately everyone knows they serve at the pleasure of President Trump.”
This represents the latest in a series of public disagreements involving Musk and high-ranking administration officials.
Before Bessent’s appointment as Treasury Secretary, Musk had publicly endorsed Lutnick for the position on his social media platform X.
“Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas [Howard Lutnick] will actually enact change,” Musk wrote in November.
“Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt, so we need change.”
In another public dispute, the New York Post previously reported that Musk engaged in a heated exchange with senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro.
After Navarro characterized Tesla as merely a “car assembler,” Musk responded forcefully on X.
“Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false,” Musk wrote.
“Tesla has the most American-made cars. Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.”
Despite these tensions, Musk reportedly informed Tesla shareholders on Tuesday that he will reduce his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the end of May when his special government employee appointment concludes.
He, however, indicated he would remain available to contribute “a day or two a week” to DOGE-related matters moving forward.
TTOA reported Tuesday that the CEO also conceded that his political activities may have negatively impacted the company, though he added that broader economic factors were also at play.
“This dynamic, along with changing political sentiment, could have a meaningful impact on demand for our products in the near-term,” Musk acknowledged during the call.
Investors fear Musk’s divided attention is causing Tesla to lose ground to rapidly advancing competitors at home and abroad, the Daily Mail noted.
Global competitors have significantly improved their battery technology while American manufacturers are also closing the gap that Tesla once dominated.
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