WASHINGTON – A heated exchange reportedly took place at the White House on Thursday between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who serves as a senior presidential advisor. According to The New York Times, the dispute erupted during a cabinet meeting over Musk’s criticism of Rubio’s handling of personnel changes within the State Department.
Musk allegedly accused Rubio of failing to implement staff cuts since President Donald Trump’s return to office, a claim that sparked a sharp response from the Secretary of State. Rubio reportedly countered that 1,500 employees had already taken early retirement and sarcastically asked if Musk expected him to rehire them just to fire them again publicly.
The exchange did not stop there. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also confronted Musk over his alleged push to eliminate the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Duffy oversees. Citing recent air traffic incidents, Duffy argued that reducing personnel in critical departments could endanger public safety. Musk dismissed the accusation as “a lie,” according to the report.
Trump Weighs In
President Trump, who was present at the meeting, reportedly intervened in the dispute. According to The New York Times, he suggested that new air traffic controllers could be recruited from among the “geniuses” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
However, when asked about the reported tensions, Trump dismissed the claims, stating that Musk and Rubio “get along fabulously well.” Nevertheless, he did offer a rare critique of Musk’s aggressive approach to federal staff reductions, writing on Truth Social that the billionaire should use a “scalpel” rather than an “axe” when implementing cuts.
Growing Tensions in the Administration
The clash follows previous reports of friction between Musk and senior government officials. Multiple U.S. media outlets have highlighted concerns from federal agencies over Musk’s influence in the administration, particularly regarding his efforts to downsize government departments he deems inefficient.
Despite Trump’s public denial of a rift, the latest confrontation suggests ongoing challenges in balancing Musk’s cost-cutting initiatives with the operational priorities of key government agencies.
