The White House on Wednesday brushed off a reported shouting match between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the West Wing, chalking it up to disagreements among officials.
“There are disagreements among the president’s staff and Cabinet sometimes, but we think that’s part of the healthy debate process,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when asked about the reported dust up. “And everybody knows that ultimately President Trump is the decision maker.”
Axios reported earlier Wednesday that Musk and Bessent got into a heated exchange in the hallway of the West Wing last week during a dispute about the IRS and its leadership.
The New York Times had previously reported that President Trump replaced the acting IRS commissioner amid a power struggle between Bessent and Musk, who had installed his choice to lead the agency.
The spat between Bessent and Musk is the latest instance of a top Trump administration officials clashing with the Tesla CEO and billionaire adviser to the president.
Musk has in the past had a heated exchange with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other Cabinet secretaries have privately vented frustration about Musk’s efforts to slash staff and spending within their departments.
Musk announced on a Tuesday earnings call that he would be stepping away from his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the coming weeks to devote more time to leading Tesla.
“He’s a brilliant guy. And he was a tremendous help, both in the campaign and in what he’s done with DOGE,” Trump said Wednesday of Musk.
