A heated confrontation between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent erupted inside the White House, escalating from a shouting match to a physical altercation, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. The dispute, which began in the Oval Office and spilled into the West Wing corridors, centered on Musk’s ambitious but unfulfilled promises to cut $1 trillion from federal spending through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.
Bessent challenged Musk directly, questioning why the promised savings had shrunk to just $100 billion. The argument quickly turned personal, with Musk accusing Bessent of being a "Soros agent" and ridiculing his financial record, while Bessent reportedly shouted profanities at Musk The altercation became so intense that staff had to intervene, and President Trump witnessed part of the exchange.
The fallout was immediate: Trump sided with Bessent, and Musk’s tenure as a special government advisor ended abruptly The White House acknowledged the incident, describing it as an example of the passionate disagreements within the administration.
Meanwhile, Musk’s DOGE initiative faced criticism for aggressive cost-cutting, widespread firings, and legal challenges over privacy concerns. The controversy has also affected Tesla’s market performance and Musk’s public standing.
For context: Elon Musk was born in South Africa, is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and is known for his roles at Tesla, SpaceX, and as a high-profile tech entrepreneur. DOGE in this context refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, not the Dogecoin cryptocurrency, which is a meme-based digital currency that Musk has promoted in the past.
No official press conference between Trump and Musk has been announced following the incident, but the White House has confirmed the altercation and its impact on Musk’s role in the administration.
