Sources say that Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were locked in a contentious debate over who should head the IRS, Newsmax reported. The sources say the tussle took place in the presence of President Donald Trump.
This sensational story was first published by the leftist news outlet Axios on Wednesday. The report allegedly came to the news outlet through "two witnesses and three sources who were briefed on the matter."
The two men were arguing about whether Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender or former acting Commissioner Gary Shapley should head up the IRS. This occurred at an Oval Office meeting on April 17, and witnesses likened it to a professional wrestling match, although there was no physical altercation.
"It was two billionaire, middle-aged men thinking it was WWE in the hall of the West Wing," a witness claimed. Bessent actually has a net worth of about $520 million.
The report claimed that this was more than a fleeting exchange. "They were not physical in the Oval, but the president saw it, and then they carried it down the hall, and that's when they did it again," a witness said.
This would surely have angered Trump, especially considering the way a second witness described it as quite a spectacle. "It was quite a scene. It was loud. And I mean, loud," the source claimed.
When asked about the argument, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt admitted that "it's no secret President Trump has put together a team of people who are incredibly passionate about the issues impacting our country." Still, Leavitt tempered her sentiments with a truthful observation.
"Disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process. And ultimately, everyone knows they serve at the pleasure of President Trump," Leavitt said. The supposed manner of this disagreement plays into rumors of Musk's volatility.
Musk has locked horns with other administration officials, including Trade Adviser Peter Navarro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. "Everyone thinks DOGE is great, but Elon's antics are just a bit much," a third administration official said about Musk's position as the outgoing head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Amid these reports, Trump has remained publicly supportive of Musk. "He’s an incredible… brilliant guy. He was a tremendous help both in the campaign and in what he's done with DOGE," Trump said when asked by reporters on Wednesday.
Trump noted that Musk's Tesla company has suffered financial losses because of his willingness to work with the president. He went on to praise Musk for his achievements at SpaceX, as well as his character.
"When you see those rockets go up and come back and land in the same gantry, nobody else can do that but this man. So he's just an incredible person, and he's a friend of mine as a nice person too, as a very nice person," Trump said. Musk shared a clip of Trump's remarks on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 24, 2025
Musk has done great things for the nation and for Trump by providing support and guidance. Even if these reports are true about a disagreement, it doesn't take anything away from that fact. The leftist media will want to make the most of it just the same.
