Elon Musk and Marco Rubio’s Heated Clash Sparks Tension in Trump’s Cabinet

Tensions between Elon Musk and President Trump’s Cabinet reached a boiling point during a Cabinet meeting last week. The showdown happened when Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), clashed over federal staff cuts and efficiency plans.

The sparks flew when Musk criticized Rubio for not laying off enough employees in his department. Musk’s frustration stemmed from the major layoffs at various federal agencies, including the drastic cuts made by DOGE to the USAID, reducing its workforce from 10,000 to under 300. In response, Rubio fired back, accusing Musk of exaggerating the truth and questioning whether his own actions, such as early retirements at the State Department, counted as layoffs.

The argument grew heated, with Musk insinuating that Rubio was better suited for TV than real leadership. At this point, President Trump intervened to calm the situation, defending Rubio and urging everyone to work together. Trump made it clear that Musk’s role in government restructuring would remain advisory, with final decisions left to the Cabinet Secretaries.

This incident comes amid growing concerns over Musk’s influence on government staffing, with 14 states filing a lawsuit against the DOGE for overstepping its bounds. Despite the drama, Trump has tried to downplay the tension, maintaining that the Cabinet’s relationship with Musk is overall positive. However, he acknowledged some minor disagreements about staffing and cuts.

Trump’s new approach to DOGE indicates that Musk’s powers may be reeled in as the administration continues its efforts to trim government expenses while retaining top talent. Moving forward, Trump has called for bi-weekly meetings to monitor the situation closely, balancing cost-cutting with maintaining effective teams.